[Fluorescence imaging in laryngology: Physical principles, clinical applications and study results]. / Fluoreszenzbildgebung in der Laryngologie: Physikalische Grundlagen, klinische Anwendung und Studienergebnisse.

BACKGROUND: Early detection and adequate preoperative assessment of neoplastic lesions of the larynx allow for voice-preserving therapy concepts. OBJECTIVE: The physical principles, clinical applications and most important study results of fluorescence imaging are presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The entire literature on autofluorescence endoscopy of the larynx was analysed and compared to induced fluorescence endoscopy. RESULTS: In detecting malignant and premalignant lesions of the larynx, autofluorescence endoscopy shows a significantly higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy than white light endoscopy alone. Induced fluorescence endoscopy achieved an even higher sensitivity, albeit at the expense of specificity. CONCLUSION: Autofluorescence endoscopy represents a simple screening procedure for early detection of laryngeal cancer and its precursor lesions, whereas induced fluorescence endoscopy is more suited for the identification of recurrent disease.

[Noninvasive imaging using autofluorescence endoscopy: Value for the early detection of laryngeal cancer]. / Nichtinvasive Bildgebung mittels Autofluoreszenzendoskopie: Stellenwert bei der Früherfassung des Kehlkopfkarzinoms.

BACKGROUND: Autofluorescence endoscopy is able to delineate malignancy from normal tissue by color change. The objective of the present study was to assess the value of this noninvasive imaging method for the early detection of laryngeal cancer and its precursor lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, 152 patients with a laryngeal lesion who were undergoing microlaryngoscopy were investigated. Autofluorescence endoscopy was performed after conventional white light endoscopy, just before excisional biopsy was carried out for histologic verification. RESULTS: In the early detection of laryngeal cancer and its precursor lesions, autofluorescence endoscopy showed a significantly higher sensitivity (98 vs. 88%) and accuracy (97 vs. 90%) than white light endoscopy alone, whereas the specificity (97 vs. 93%) was essentially equal in both methods. CONCLUSION: Autofluorescence endoscopy qualifies as a simple screening procedure for rapid detection of suspicious lesions and assessment of their horizontal extension. This allows for guided biopsy or tumor resection, and can also be used in oncological follow-up.

Room temperature electrical detection of spin coherence in C60.

An experimental demonstration of electrical detection of coherent spin motion of weakly coupled, localized electron spins in thin fullerene C60 films at room temperature is presented. Pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance experiments on vertical photocurrents through Al/C(60)/ZnO samples showed that an electron spin Rabi oscillation is reflected by transient current changes. The nature of possible microscopic mechanisms responsible for this spin to charge conversion as well as its implications for the readout of endohedral fullerene (N@C(60)) spin qubits are discussed.