Single-Operator Cancer Vision Goggles for Quantitative Near-Infrared Fluorescence-Guided Oncologic Surgery.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biophotonics
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging systems often require multiple operators and lack standardized acquisition constraints, limiting reproducibility.
• Existing systems hinder hands-free operation and quantitative analysis due to inconsistent geometry and data streams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a single-operator, wearable Cancer Vision Goggles (CVG) platform for hands-free NIRF guidance.
• To enable reproducible, quantitative NIRF imaging by standardizing acquisition geometry and preserving a faithful reference stream.

Main Methods:

• A head-mounted binocular system integrating synchronized visible/NIR cameras, an optical see-through display, and alignment lasers.
• Hands-free operation via a Bluetooth foot pedal and GUI for snapshot capture.
• Performance validation using phantoms and in vivo/ex vivo tumor models.

Main Results:

• The CVG system achieved 281 μm spatial resolution at a standardized 50 cm distance.
• Phantom studies demonstrated high signal-to-background ratios and linear behavior.
• Consistent tumor-associated NIRF localization was observed in murine and human specimens, with enhanced delineation via real-time thresholding.

Conclusions:

• The CVG platform offers a wearable, single-operator NIRF imaging solution with standardized acquisition, integrated safety, and hands-free workflow.
• This system supports reproducible fluorescence imaging and facilitates the generation of analyzable translational datasets.