Pre- and intra-operative imaging of bladder cancer

摘要

The invention provides methods for visualizing and distinguishing sentinel lymph nodes and involved nodes from other lymph nodes in the vicinity of the bladder in patients undergoing cystectomy or other operations to remove bladder tumors.

主权项

1. A method of identifying a lymph node draining the bladder of a patient with bladder cancer, comprising: (a) instilling into a lumen of the patient's bladder a dye, dissolved in solution, which fluoresces at an emission wavelength when said dye is contacted with an excitation wavelength; (b) allowing the dye to be taken into the bladder and drain to said lymph node; (c) exposing the lymph node to a source of illumination comprising said excitation wavelength under conditions such that fluorescent dye in the lymph node fluoresces; and (d) detecting the presence of fluorescence of said dye in said lymph node, wherein the presence of fluorescence indicates that the lymph node is draining said bladder.