Enabling precision digestive surgery with fluorescence imaging

Fluorescence imaging is a real-time intraoperative navigation modality. Generally, fluorescence-imaging is obtained by administrating a substance, defined fluorophore, and illuminating the areas of interest with a near-infrared (NIR) light source. The NIR light will modify the energetic status of the fluorophore which will result into the emission of a fluorescent signal in the visible range. The signal is collected by dedicated camera systems and displayed in real-time in the operative field. These characteristics make of fluorescence imaging an ideal surgical navigation modality, since it does not disrupt the surgical workflow and does not require a bulky equipment.