Tumor-directed drug delivery systems are being tested in mice. The use of fluorescent anti-tumor drugs has permitted evaluation of the effectiveness drug tissue targeting through the use of scanning techniques. Intensity scanning of tissue slices indicated targeting the drugs to tumor tissue but drugs were also found throughout the mouse tissue and in mouse organs. Activation of the drug induces a fluorescence lifetime change which suggested lifetime scanning as a potential method to discriminate between localization of inactive and active drug. In conjunction with ISS (Champaign, IL) a prototype scanning device was made to work with a standard ISS phase and modulation fluorometer. Preserved rat tissue slices were then scanned for intensity and fluorescence lifetime information. Phase contrast clearly indicated differences in tissues and provided preliminary evidence that lifetime imaging would be useful in discriminating drug activation from drug accumulation.
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