| This thesis encompasses the development and testing of an interstitial photodynamic therapy (iPDT) system for the treatment of prostate cancer. It begins with the optical characterization of a novel photosensitizer (SL-052) followed by a study of tissue optics as it applies to iPDT. The design and integration of a time-fractionated light delivery system with real-time spectral detection is then examined. An optical phantom test medium is formulated and in vitro system operation and testing is performed. Finally, in vivo experiments are performed on animal models with a focus on canine prostate iPDT. Unique optical results with dosimetric relevance are discovered and investigated. This includes metrics for optically measuring local in vivo SL-052 concentrations in real-time as well as novel oscillatory drug photobleaching and recovery behavior during time-fractionated light delivery. |
