Recent Advances in Contrast-Enhanced near Infrared Diffuse Optical Imaging of Diseases Using Indocyanine Green:

Due to its spectral and binding properties, the well-tolerated near-infrared absorbing and fluorescent dye indocyanine green (ICG) has found various applications in diffuse optical imaging of diseases in humans. Here, we review applications of this dye for the detection of breast cancer, for perfusion monitoring of the brain in ischaemic stroke and during cardiac surgery, and for the detection of rheumatoid arthritis in finger joints. We give a short overview of the properties of ICG which are relevant for diffuse optical imaging and summarise clinical applications of the dye. Then we describe the experimental methods used for contrast-enhanced imaging of breast cancer with ICG, and we discuss the results of studies on patients with breast lesions. Generally, after intravenous application an increased concentration of ICG in breast carcinomas was observed. In part, differences in ICG pharmacokinetics between malignant lesions, benign lesions and healthy tissue were reported. In a recent study, fluorescenc...