5-Aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic diagnosis for detection of urothelial carcinoma cells in bladder washing sediment suspension: A pilot study

Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2022 Dec:40:103072. doi: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2022.103072. Epub 2022 Aug 20.

Abstract

Background: Bladder cancer is a common malignant disease in developed countries. Early detection of malignancy is important using urine cytology. The 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-based photodynamic diagnosis (ALA-PDD) has not been routinely applied in urine cytology analysis yet, although it has been well accepted for tumor lesion marking in cystoscopy.

Methods: A total of eight volunteers were enrolled in this study. The cells of sediment suspension from bladder washing fluid and random urine were stained by ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX (ALA-PpIX) and the fluorescent intensity of ALA-PpIX was analyzed by ImageJ.

Results: The cutoff value of fluorescent intensity was 90.260 per pixel. The proposed protocol provided an objective fluorescent intensity for evaluation. Sensitivity was 0.931 and specificity was 1.000.

Conclusions: The staining procedure applied was ALA-PpIX for suspicious cells in the cellular suspension from bladder wash fluid and random urine. ImageJ was applied to the objective measurement for the fluorescent intensity of the stained cells. The cutoff value for the positive result was 90.260 per pixel. Therefore, the protocol proposed in this study provides a potential means to enhance accuracy for urine cytology analysis.

Keywords: 5-Aminolevulinic acid; Bladder cancer; ImageJ; Photodynamic diagnosis; Protoporphyrin IX; Urine cytology analysis.

MeSH terms

  • Aminolevulinic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Photochemotherapy* / methods
  • Photosensitizing Agents / therapeutic use
  • Pilot Projects
  • Protoporphyrins / therapeutic use
  • Urinary Bladder / pathology
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* / pathology

Substances

  • Aminolevulinic Acid
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Protoporphyrins