Diagnostic Auto Fluorescence Endoscopy in the bronchial area The Autofluorescence endoscopy is an imaging procedure for early diagnosis of cancerous changes, for example in the bronchial area. It offers physicians the advantage of being able to provide earlier and better diagnosis of malignant changes. The DAFE System was primarily developed for early diagnosis of cancer in the bronchial area but it is now the method of choice for assessing the spread of tumors. This system enables the tumor margins to be clearly differentiated from healthy tissue. Fluorescing light is generated in the body’s own fluorophores present in the bronchial walls by exposing the bronchial tissue to radiation and exciting it with violet and blue light of a precisely defined wavelength. Since the fluorescent response is significantly dependent on the state of the tissue (healthy tissue fluoresces strongly while fluorescence from tissue that has undergone pathological changes is weaker) precancerous tissue and early-stage malignant forms of cancer can be clearly distinguished from the surrounding healthy tissue with a high level of contrast. This is much more successful than conventional white-light endoscopy. The fluorescence image clearly highlights even tissue with slight pathological changes and distinguishes it clearly from healthy tissue.