Lung Tumors Marked Percutaneously with Indocyanine Green Dye-Soaked Embolization Coils: A Visual Beacon for Accurate...

Thoracic surgeons using minimally invasive techniques for lung nodule resection often rely on localization markers to determine precise nodule location intraoperatively. Transbronchial or transthoracic injection of indocyanine green (ICG) dye has become a popular technique. However, surgery must be performed immediately before dye dissipates into surrounding tissue. This multicenter retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness of computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic placement of ICG dye-soaked coils (ICG-Cs) for preoperative lung nodule localization. Nineteen adult patients with 21 nodules underwent CT ICG-C placement from March 01, 2023, until February 28, 2025, at 2 medical centers. There were no adverse events. Median time from localization to surgery was 1 day (interquartile range, 0-4 days), with 57.1% undergoing surgery >24 hours later. Localization success rate was 100%. CT-guided transthoracic placement of ICG-C is a novel technique that allows for accurate nodule localization, delayed surgical resection, and the preservation of healthy lung tissue.