Luminescence lifetime determination for oxygen imaging in human tissue

Imaging and monitoring of biochemical parameters in vitro and in vivo have become the goal of many investigations in medical physics. The main imaging technique used is laser-induced luminescence due to its cost effectiveness and diversity of applications [1]. One key parameter in medical investigations, for instance to control photodynamic therapy, is the molecular oxygen concentration. The use of optical methods provides possible means of measuring molecular oxygen. The basis of such a method is the measurement of the luminescence lifetime of a dye which is quenched by molecular oxygen. The molecular oxygen concentration can be monitored two-dimensionally by pixel-wise determination of the luminescence lifetime with a CCD-camera. An oxygen imaging system based on this principle was built and tested with a commercially available oxygen sensitive sol gel-layer. The embedded ruthenium complex is quenched by molecular oxygen and because of the oxygen permeability of the layer; it is suitable for oxygen measurements. The characteristics and dependence on the pH-value and temperature of the luminescence lifetime of the layer were examined in preparation for measurements on tissue to exclude cross-correlation of other quenching processes