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Updated: Jan 1, 2026

A Rapid Method for Multispectral Fluorescence Imaging of Frozen Tissue Sections
Published on: March 30, 2020
Snapshot Multispectral Imaging Is Not Inferior to SPY Laser Fluorescence Imaging When Predicting Murine Flap Necrosis
Glyn E Jones1, Aran Yoo1, Victor A King1
1From the Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Pathology, University of Illinois College of Medicine; the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Louisiana State University School of Medicine; the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brown University Alpert Medical School at Rhode Island Hospital; and Kent Imaging.
Multispectral reflectance imaging offers a noninvasive alternative to indocyanine green angiography for assessing tissue viability. This study found it comparable to indocyanine green angiography in predicting flap necrosis in a rat model.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Surgical Innovation
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Objective assessment of tissue viability is crucial for successful cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
- Indocyanine green angiography is a common method for predicting tissue viability.
- An alternative, noninvasive technique using multispectral reflectance imaging is proposed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate multispectral reflectance imaging as an alternative to indocyanine green angiography for assessing tissue viability.
- To determine if multispectral reflectance imaging is non-inferior to indocyanine green angiography in predicting flap necrosis.
- To explore the potential of multispectral reflectance imaging in clinical settings.
Main Methods:
- Reverse McFarlane skin flaps were created in a rat model.
- Indocyanine green angiography and multispectral reflectance imaging were performed at multiple time points.
- Postoperative clinical outcomes were compared with objective imaging data to assess prediction accuracy.
Main Results:
- Multispectral reflectance imaging demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.3-91.0% in predicting flap necrosis.
- Indocyanine green angiography showed a sensitivity of 79.1-86.9% for the same prediction.
- The confidence intervals indicated that multispectral reflectance imaging was not inferior to indocyanine green angiography.
Conclusions:
- Multispectral reflectance imaging is a viable, non-inferior alternative to indocyanine green angiography for assessing tissue viability in this animal model.
- The device's noninvasiveness, portability, and affordability suggest potential for widespread clinical adoption.
- Further research may support its use in cosmetic and reconstructive procedures.

