ICG Fluorescence: Current and Future Applications

The imaging technique based on indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence has been widely used for more than forty years, especially to study blood flow and microcirculation. This method was first applied in general surgery to perform sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies in patients affected by breast and colorectal cancer. In 2010, a near-infrared (NIR) laser light system was integrated with the da Vinci® Si™ HD robotic system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA). This imaging system is able to provide both white light and near-infrared light images through dedicated endoscopic illuminators and filters by simply pressing a pedal on the surgical console, thus allowing real-time fluorescence-guided surgery.