Image-guided near-infrared fluorescent sentinel lymph node mapping in human breast cancer

e11591 Background: Breast cancer surgery is presently performed without real-time image-guidance. We have developed a novel optical imaging system for image-guided surgery that uses invisible near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent light to highlight structures on the surgical field with high sensitivity, specificity, and contrast. We have also performed the first human clinical trial of the imaging system in women undergoing SLN mapping for breast cancer. Methods: We used a portable imaging system with an articulating arm that has 6 degrees of freedom, high power LED light source, custom optics, custom software, and sterile drape. The imaging system provided simultaneous and real-time imaging of color video and NIR fluorescence at up to 15 frames per second. N = 6 women with biopsy- confirmed breast cancer undergoing SLN mapping gave informed consent. All subjects received conventional mapping with Tc-99m sulfur colloid using a handheld gamma probe as well as NIR fluorescence-guided SLN mapping using a mixture o...