Fluorescence polarization imaging for delineating nonmelanoma skin cancers

We present a method for detecting nonmelanoma skin cancers using exogenous fluorescence polarization. We built an automated system that permits exogenous fluorescence polarization imaging. It includes a tunable linearly polarized monochromatic light source and a CCD camera equipped with a rotating linear polarizer and a filter to reject excitation light. Two fluorophores that are retained in tumors, toluidine blue and methylene blue, are employed. We demonstrate that fluorescence polarization imaging can be used for accurate delineation of nonmelanoma cancers. The results suggest that this optical technique may be suitable for real-time noninvasive demarcation of epithelial cancers.