Use of osmotically active agents to alter optical properties of tissue: Effects on the detected fluorescence signal measured through skin

Background and Objective: Hyper-osmotic chemical agents were used to study the effects of transient tissue scattering on the remitted fluorescence emission intensity from a target placed under a tissue sample. Study Design/Materials and Methods: A fluorescent film was placed underneath in vitro and in vivo samples of hamster skin, and the remitted fluorescent signal traveling to the tissue surface was monitored over time as the tissue was treated with an osmotically active agent. Results: The detected fluorescent signal increased as the scattering in tissue samples was substantially reduced. The increase was greater for dimethyl sulfoxide than glucose or glycerol. It was not statistically different between in vivo skin and in vitro skin. Conclusion: The study shows how chemical agents can be used to improve the detected signal for a specific optical application. It could be useful in a number of optical therapeutic and diagnostic applications that can benefit from an increase in the penetration depth of light. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.