Paper Title
Investigation Of Bowel Perforation Detection Using Fluorescent Chlorophyll Derivatives
Abstract
Chlorophyll derivatives that abundantly exist in food plants show bright emission bands at long wavelength
regime (>650 nm) than those of auto-fluorescence of bio-tissues or -organs. In bowel perforation, intestinal fluids, which
show bright and long wavelength regime emissions of chlorophyll derivatives, may leak from perforation sites. In order to
examine a feasibility of fluorescence spectroscopy to be utilized as a real-time bio-sensor without using contrast agents for
monitoring bowel perforation, we comparatively analyzed fluorescence obtained from intestinal and peritoneal fluids of
mouse and rat models administered with alfalfa free feed known to minimize auto-fluorescence and improve imaging clarity.
In addition, we analyzed samples from human patients who underwent surgery for small bowel resection and checked
sensitivities of the device with various concentrations of intestinal fluids in peritoneal fluids. Fluorescence measurements
were conducted using a portable optical-fiber-coupled fluorescence spectrometer equipped with Nd:YAG laser operating at
532 nm and photodiode-array-typed spectral analyzer. Compared to bare peritoneal fluids and bio-tissues or –organs,
perforated intestine sites contaminated with intestinal contents show brighter (increased in intensity by factor of >8) and long
wavelength regime fluorescence bands at ~680 and ~720 nm, which are assigned to fluorescence bands of pheophytin
(chlorophyll derivative).
Keywords- Bowel perforation, Chlorophyll, Fluorescence spectroscopy.