Comprehensive Assessment of Indocyanine Green Usage: One Tracer, Multiple Urological Applications

Abstract

The intraoperative use of fluorescent tracers and matching cameras can empower urologists' ability to recognize critical anatomical and functional features. Indocyanine green is the most extensively used near-infrared fluorescent tracer. It has been widely applied due to its ability to illuminate vascular and lymphatic anatomies. A plurality of fluorescence cameras are available allowing the connection of this technology with many surgical approaches, including robotic surgery. Although large comparative validation studies are lacking, numerous studies support the role of fluorescence guidance in urology.

Keywords: Fluorescence; Image-guided surgery; Indocyanine green (ICG); Lymph node vascularization; Lymphangiography; Urology.