Development of a portable imager for intraoperative real-time localization of parathyroid glands

In thyroid surgeries, it is often difficult to visually distinguish parathyroid glands (PTGs) from their surrounding anatomical structures such as lymph nodes, fat, and thyroid tissues. There is a clear need to provide head and neck surgeons with intraoperative surgical guidance to safely distinguish PTGs and assess its viability to prevent the risk of hypocalcemia. This study aims to develop a portable hand-held imager that eliminates the need for complex set up for intraoperative imaging to increase the efficiency and performance for surgeons during thyroid surgeries. The performance of the device prototype was evaluated via in-vivo testing throughout preclinical studies.