Abstract
In order to assess the capacity for in vivo fluorescence spectroscopic analysis of arterial collagen and elastin, fluorescence emission intensity (FEI) was recorded from rabbit aorta after angioplasty and stent implant, and correlated with extracted elastin and collagen content. FEI from saline treated rabbits after stent implant was higher (p 0.931) and 476-480 nm (adj. R2 values up to 0.950 for selected amino acids) respectively. Conclusions: FEI recorded in vivo from arterial intimal surface, can be successfully used for quantitative assessment of compositional changes in connective tissue. Stent implant can induce changes in intimal arterial structure at discrete sites distant from the stent implant site.