Shimadzu has released its new Lightvision near-infrared fluorescence imaging system to visualize lymph and blood vessels to support treatment of breast cancer.

The system visualizes vessels depending on the detection of near-infrared fluorescent light emitted from indocyanine green (ICG).

It produces real time contrast images of lymph vessels below tissue surfaces by distributing ICG through the lymph vessels, enabling to disclose the corresponding tissue to excitation light.

It will be followed by detection and visualization of slight emission of near-infrared light from the ICG, which cannot be observed by the naked eye.

The surgeons can carry out surgical procedures by visualizing the lymph vessels. They can monitor the position of lymph vessels on a monitor screen, which will help to identify the position of sentinel lymph nodes for diagnosing the metastasis status of cancer cells during breast cancer surgery.

By visualizing the ICG administered through blood veins, the blood flow can be confirmed during surgery through carrying out intraoperative angiography.

It will be helpful to assess blood flow through flaps and anastomotic vessels during breast reconstructive surgery.

Lightvision system features high-definition sensors that can capture quality real-time images on a single monitor, helping surgeons to continue with the surgery.

The system also enables image acquisition in a bright field of view without requiring to switch off room lighting in the operating room.

Lightvision system also holds capacity to exhibit three images simultaneously, including visible light image, near-infrared fluorescence image and combined visible light image with superimposed near-infrared fluorescence image.

To detect the position of lymph nodes, lymph vessels and blood vessels accurately in visible + near-infrared fluorescence images, areas of fluorescence will be showcased as either green or blue, offering clear visible separation from surrounding tissue.

Image: Shimadzu’s near-infrared fluorescence imaging system. Photo: courtesy of PRNewsfoto/Shimadzu Corporation.