Comparison of Physical Pretreatment Regimens to Enhance Protoporphyrin IX Uptake in Photodynamic Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Skin pretreatment is recommended for adequate penetration of topical photosensitizing agents and subsequent protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) accumulation in photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Objective: To compare the relative potential of different physical pretreatments to enhance PPIX fluorescence in normal skin.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This intraindividual, randomized clinical trial was performed from November 28 to December 20, 2014, at Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark, among 12 healthy volunteers 18 years or older.