Lubricant soluble fluorescent agent and method for its use in a system for detection of lubricant coatings

An inspection system for determining a preselected degree of coverage of a polydimethylsiloxane lubricant on a surface of a medical device comprising:

• a source of electromagnetic radiation for irradiation of a surface of a medical device having thereon a coating of polydimethylsiloxane, said polydimethylsiloxane including a fluorescent agent at a concentration of between about 10.sup.-5 % to about 10.sup.-6 % dissolved therein, said irradiation being sufficient to induce a fluorescent emission from said fluorescent agent;
• a detector having a maximum sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength between about 450 nm to about 520 nm, said detector being positioned to detect said fluorescent emission from said fluorescent agent in said polydimethylsiloxane and to generate a signal from said detector having a value proportional to the degree of coverage of the surface with the polydimethylsiloxane;
• and
• means for receiving the signal and comparing said value of the signal with a preselected value corresponding to a preselected degree of coverage of the surface of the medical device with the polydimethylsiloxane, said means further including a display to indicate the results of the comparison with the preselected value thereby providing a determination of said preselected degree of coverage.