Shimadzu LIGHTVISION near-infrared fluorescence imaging system

The LIGHTVISION near-infrared fluorescence imaging system is designed to support breast cancer treatment through the visualisation of lymph vessels and blood vessels based on the detection of near-infrared fluorescent light emitted from indocyanine green (ICG). It creates real-time contrast images of lymph vessels below tissue surfaces by administering ICG through the lymph vessels, exposing the corresponding tissue to excitation light and then detecting and visualising the slight emission of near-infrared light from the ICG.

By visualising the lymph vessels during surgery, the surgeon can perform procedures while monitoring the position of lymph vessels being excised, eg, on a monitor screen. This is useful for identifying the position of sentinel lymph nodes, which are important for diagnosing the metastasis status of cancer cells during breast cancer surgery.

Furthermore, by visualising the ICG administered through blood veins, the blood flow can also be confirmed during surgery by performing intraoperative angiography. This is useful for evaluating blood flow through flaps and anastomotic vessels during breast reconstructive surgery.

The device is equipped with high-definition sensors, producing high-quality, real-time images on a single monitor, for surgeons to proceed with surgery. It also supports image acquisition in a bright field of view, without the need to switch off room lighting.

The ability to display three images simultaneously means that a visible light image, a near-infrared fluorescence image and a combined visible light image with superimposed near-infrared fluorescence image can all be displayed simultaneously, in real time, on the same screen. This means that all three images can be assessed and compared with ease. To identify the position of lymph nodes, lymph vessels and blood vessels in visible and near-infrared fluorescence images, areas of fluorescence can be displayed as either green or blue, providing clear visible separation from surrounding tissue.

The camera arm can be extended to a length of about 180 cm, providing optimal positioning during procedures, while the main unit is easily controlled via a simple and detachable control console. Good image quality is assured via automatic focusing, automatic light exposure adjustment and automatic white balance adjustment, while the images can be zoomed to a magnification of up to 10 times.