Abstract: Methods are provided for in vivo detection of diseased tissue in a subject, such as tumor tissue located in a body opening, by administering to the subject a biologically compatible fluorescing targeting construct that binds to or is specifically taken up by the diseased tissue. The observer directly views fluorescence emanating from the fluorescing targeting construct bound to or taken up by the diseased tissue upon irradiation of the targeting construct with excitation light having at least one wavelength in the range from 401 nm to about 495 nm, but preferably lacking light having a wavelength above about 500 nm, so as to determine the location and/or surface area of the diseased tissue in the subject. Since excitation wavelength does not penetrate through tissue, as is the practice in near IR diagnostics, the diseased or abnormal tissue is exposed to the excitation light either surgically or by means of an endoscopic device.

Abstract: Methods are provided for in vivo detection of tumor tissue associated with a disease state in a subject, such as tumor tissue located in body opening. In the invention method, the subject is administered a biologically compatible fluorescing targeting construct, the construct is allowed to bind to and/or be taken up by tumor tissue present in the subject, a body part of the subject suspected of containing the tumor tissue is irradiated with UV light while extraneous light to the body part is substantially eliminated, and fluorescence emanating from the fluorescing targeting construct bound to and/or taken up by the tumor tissue is directly viewed by the observer with or without the aid of an endoscope, so as to determine the location and size of the tumor tissue.