Fluorescence Imaging Topography Scanning System for intraoperative multimodal imaging.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Technology
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Planar fluorescence imaging systems have limitations in visualizing 3D structures and assessing lesion depth during surgery.
• Accurate intraoperative visualization is crucial for effective surgical guidance and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel Fluorescence Imaging Topography Scanning (FITS) system for enhanced intraoperative imaging.
• To evaluate the system's performance in ex vivo and in vivo preclinical models.

Main Methods:

• Development of a compact, portable FITS system integrating color reflectance, fluorescence imaging, and surface topography scanning.
• Characterization of system performance, including near-infrared fluorescence detection limits, contrast transfer functions, and topography depth resolution.
• Ex vivo testing on chicken tissues with simulated tumors and in vivo multimodal imaging of sentinel lymph nodes in mice using FITS and PET/CT.

Main Results:

• The FITS system demonstrated capabilities for multimodal intraoperative imaging, combining optical and topographical data.
• System performance parameters were successfully characterized.
• Co-registered multimodal images from FITS and PET/CT were generated to guide surgical procedures.

Conclusions:

• The developed FITS system offers a compact and portable solution for multimodal intraoperative imaging.
• The system effectively overcomes limitations of planar fluorescence imaging by providing 3D structural and depth information.
• FITS facilitates enhanced surgical guidance through integrated imaging modalities.