Ex vivo laser-induced fluorescence measurements of lamb and human heart tissue

Laser-induced fluorescence spectra were recorded during the exposure of lamb heart (n = 20) tissue to Argon-ion radiation (457.9 nm). Spectra from the left and right atria and ventricles, the myocardium, the epiocardium cardium, and the aorta were recorded. Simple algorithms based on the spectral intensity variation were developed in order to detect spectral features of the different cardiac compartments. It was also investigated whether each chamber exhibited constant spectral response. Similar fluorescence measurements were taken from a limited number of human heart tissue (n = 2) ex vivo.