The papers in this Volume were given at a two-day Conference on the subject of Optoelectronics in Medicine. The meeting was held in Florence, and promoted by the Consortium Centro di Eccellenza Optronica (C.E.O.). It represented the first of a series of Meetings on Optoelectronics that C.E.O. is organizing in order to stimulate new developments in this field and more efficient cooperation among local, national, and international research centers, industries, utilizers, etc .. Italian scientists have contributed consistently to the development of laser sources and to their applications to Medicine. A significant role has also been played by research institutes and industries in Florence. However, in this Conference, and in the Proceadings only a few Italian scientists were invited to present a lecture, thus offering the local and national communities as wide an international view as possible. Many more were present, however, as chairmen, and contributed successfully to making the discussions stimulating and fruitful. AB Editor, I had to substitute last-minute missing manuscripts with papers of my own, in order to keep the scheduled index of papers. The contributions presented at the Conference are written as extended, review­ like papers to provide a broad and representative coverage of the fields of light sources, optoelectronic systems for medical diagnosis, and light and laser applications to Medicine.

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MINIATURE LASER SOURCE TECHNOLOGY: Properties of High Power Semiconductor Lasers (D.F. Welch). DiodePumped Miniature Solid State Lasers (R. Pratesi). LIGHTTISUE INTERACTIONS AND OPTICS OF TISSUES: Biophysical Bases of LaserTissue Interactions (J.L. Boulnois). Optical and Thermal Modeling of Tissues: Dosimetry (M.J.C. van Gemert et al.). DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES: Holography in Medical Diagnostics (G. von Bally). Laser Reflectance Spectroscopy of tissue (B. Wilson et al.). Monitoring and Imaging of Tissue Blood Flow by Coherent Light Scattering (G.E. Nilsson et al.). Transillumination Imaging (P.C. Jackson et al.). THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES: Lamps: Ultraviolet Radiation Lamps for the Phototherapy of Psoriasis (B.L. Diffey). Phototherapy and Photochemotherapy of Psoriasis (T.B. Fitzpatrick). Light Therapy for Neonatal Jaundice (J.F. Ennever). The Hazards of Cosmetic Tanning with UVA Radiation (A.R. Young). Lasers: The Role of Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) Laser in Medicine (H. Barr et al.). Diode Laser Photocoagulation in Opthamology (R. Brancato et al.). FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Initial Applications and Potential of Miniature Lasers in Medicine (R. Pratesi). Future Trends in Laser Medicine (J.A. Parrish). 8 additional articles. Index of Contributors. Subject Index.