Background: During oncogenesis significant changes in tissue properties occur that result in alteration of fluorescence characteristics of the tissue. The aim of our study was to determine the usefulness of autofluorescence technique in diagnostic of laryngeal epithelium lesions.
Material and methods: 40 patients admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology Wroclaw Medical University due to different laryngeal lesions were included into the study. They underwent white light laryngoscopy followed by autofluorescence videoendoscopy. AF was induced by blue light of xenon short arc lamp and processed by a D-light AF System (Storz). Autofluorescence and white light images were immediately assessed and later compared with to histopathological findings.
Results: Normal laryngeal mucosa showed a typical green fluorescence signal. Squamous cell carcinoma displayed a diminished green fluorescence and in some cases presented reddish-yellow color.
Conclusions: We revealed that autofluorescence laryngoscopy is very helpful, supplementary tool in diagnosis of laryngeal pathology. Autofluorescence laryngoscopy is noninvasive technique designed especially for diagnostic of early and premalignant lesions.