Abstract: An endoscope apparatus has a side view endoscope 10 for side viewing an object in a radial direction of a distal end constitutional portion 14 and a balloon catheter 40. With an insert portion 13 of a side view endoscope 10 inserted in an insert tube 41 of the balloon catheter 40, the balloon catheter 40 is inserted into a blood vessel B. The insert tube 41 is provided at its distal end with a transparent balloon 42. This balloon 42 encloses the distal end constitutional portion 14. By feeding air (fluid) to this balloon 42, the balloon 42 is expanded so as to be urged against an inside wall of the blood vessel B. This causes the blood to be discharged between the inside wall of the blood vessel B and the balloon 42, thus enabling to observe the inside wall of the blood vessel B through the side view endoscope 10.

Abstract: As a novel photochemotherapeutical method for the treatment or prevention of an auto-immune disease, there is provided a method for treating an auto-immune disease, which comprises administering to the patient mono-L-aspartyl chlorin e6 or mono-L-glutamyl chlorin e6 or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof, followed by subjecting the blood vessel blood of the patient containing the administered compound to exposure with an ultraviolet ray or a laser light, thereby to excite said compound photochemically. This method is effective to decrease the level of auto-antibody in the blood of the patient and is also of high safety.

Abstract: In photodynamic diagnosis and photodynamic therapy, the oscillating wavelength of laser light from a light source is fitted to a plurality of different kinds of photosensitizers and exciting conditions thereof. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment are achieved using a single light source. Concurrent diagnosis during treatment is realized as well. A semiconductor laser generates laser light having an oscillating wavelength which is variable and a full width at half maximum which is narrow. A light transmission line guides an irradiated laser light to the vicinity of a focus, an image transmission line observes the focus and the periphery thereof, a fluorescence light extracting device extracts only the fluorescence light emitted from a photosensitizer excited by the irradiated laser light, an image-pick-up/analyzing device picks up and analyzes an image of the extracted fluorescence light and an image display device displays the analyzing result.

Abstract: A method and medical agents for the photodynamic diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis of mammals, which agent comprises at least one member of fluorescent compounds selected from the group consisting of tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids having at least one carboxyl group, corresponding di- or tetrahydrotetrapyrrole carboxylic acids, and mono-, di- or polyamides of the tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids with amino-mono- or dicarboxylic acids and their salts.

Abstract: A method for the photodynamic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis of mammals, which agent comprises at least one member of fluorescent compounds selected from the group consisting of tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids having at least one carboxyl group, corresponding di- or tetrahydrotetrapyrrole carboxylic acids, and mono-, di- or polyamides of the tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids with amino-mono- or dicarboxylic acids and their salts.

Abstract: A therapeutic agent used for photodynamic therapy of atherosclerosis of mammals, which agent comprises at least one member of fluorescent compounds selected from the group consisting of tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids having at least one carboxyl group, corresponding di- or tetrahydrotetrapyrrole carboxylic acids, and mono-, di- or polyamides of the tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids with amino-mono- or dicarboxylic acids and their salts.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel method for detecting cholesterol which is deposited in the bodies of mammals, which method comprises the steps of administering to a host an effective amount of a photosensitizer of at least one member selected from the group consisting of tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids, corresponding di- or tetrahydropyrrole carboxylic acids, mono-, di- or polyamides of said tetrapyrrole carboxylic acids with amino-mono- or dicarboxylic acids, and salts of the above compounds; applying light of sufficient wavelength to the area of said mammal to be examined; and observing the fluorescence emitted from the area in which cholesterol is deposited.

Abstract: Novel pheophorbide derivatives of the general formula: ##STR1## [wherein Z is O or NH; n is an integer of 1 to 6; Y is NR'R" or ##STR2## wherein R', R" and R'" are the same or different or each represents a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 lower alkyl group; X.sup.- is a halogen or organic acid ion); R.sub.1 is an ethenyl group; C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 lower alkyl group or ##STR3## (wherein m is an integer of 0 to 6; R.sub.6 is H or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 lower alkyl group); R.sub.2 is CH.sub.3, CHO or CH.sub.2 OH; either of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 is H, with the other being OH, or both of them combine to represent .dbd.O; R.sub.5 is H or CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3) are provided.When administered to a cancer-carrying animal, the derivatives accumulate specifically in cancer tissues and emit characteristic fluorescent spectrum under irradiation of light, which enables one to detect the cancer tissues.

Abstract: Novel porphyrin derivatives of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 each independently denotes a hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group or an ethenyl group, and R.sub.2 each independently denotes COZ(C.sub.m H.sub.2m)Q, COZCH(C.sub.m H.sub.2m Q).sub.2, --CH.sub.2 --Q [wherein Z is O, S or NH, m is an integer of 1 to 23, and Q is a di-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl)amino group or tri-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl)ammonium halide group] or ##STR2## (wherein X is a halogen); or R.sub.1 each independently denotes --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 --Q (wherein Q is the same as defined above), ##STR3## (wherein X is the same as defined above), and R.sub.2 each independently denotes a carboxyl group or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxycarbonyl group, and the production thereof are described. The quarternary ammonium salt type of the above compounds exhibit affinity and photosensitizing activity for cancer cells and can be employed for diagnosing and treating cancer under irradiation of laser light.

Abstract: Cancer diagnosis device contains an endoscope comprising a light pipe used to transmit light beams from respective light sources and an image guide used to observe the flesh of the organism during both diagnosis and treatment. The tip of the endoscope faces toward the focuses where a photosensitive material having an affinity to the focuses of cancer has been absorbed so that a treatment for cancer can be performed by exposing the organism affected by cancer to the laser beam. The attainable the laser beam within a focus is thus increased by the use of the laser beam pulse from a first laser beam pulse source.