Chapter 2 – Fluorescence Cystoscopy

Fluorescence is defined as the property of a structure to emit light without a noticeable delay when irradiated. According to Stoke’s law, the light emitted has a higher wavelength than the absorbed light, while the photons are characterized by a low level of energy. The fluorescent emission from untreated materials is known as primary, natural fluorescence, or autofluorescence. When fluorescence is generated artificially by the use of additional fluorescent substances, secondary fluorescence occurs. Haitinger (1959) called these materials “fluorochromes” to distinguish them from other dyes used in visible light microscopy.