Clinical Integration of NIR-II Fluorescence Imaging for Cancer Surgery: A Translational Evaluation of Preclinical and Intraoperative Systems

Back table fluorescence imaging performed on freshly excised tissue specimens represents a critical step in fluorescence-guided surgery, enabling rapid assessment of tumor margins before final pathology. While most preclinical NIR-II imaging platforms, such as the IR VIVO (Photon, etc.), offer high-resolution and depth-sensitive imaging under controlled, enclosed conditions, they are not designed for intraoperative or point-of-care use. This study compares the IR VIVO with the LightIR system, a more compact and clinically adaptable imaging platform using the same Alizé 1.7 InGaAs detector, to evaluate whether the LightIR can offer comparable performance for back table NIR-II imaging under ambient light. Methods: Standardized QUEL phantoms containing indocyanine green (ICG) and custom agar-based tissue-mimicking phantoms loaded with IR-1048 were imaged on both systems. Imaging sensitivity, spatial resolution, and depth penetration were quantitatively assessed. LightIR was operated in pulse-mode under ambient lighting, mimicking back table or intraoperative use, while IR VIVO was operated in a fully enclosed configuration. Results: The IR VIVO system achieved high spatial resolution (~125 µm) and detected ICG concentrations as low as 30 nM in NIR-I and 300 nM in NIR-II. The LightIR system, though requiring longer exposure times, successfully resolved features down to ~250 µm and detected ICG to depths ≥4 mm. Importantly, the LightIR maintained robust NIR-II contrast under ambient lighting, aided by real-time background subtraction, and enabled clear visualization of subsurface IR-1048 targets in unshielded phantom setups, conditions relevant to back table workflows. Conclusions: LightIR offers performance comparable to the IR VIVO in terms of depth penetration and spatial resolution, while also enabling open-field NIR-II imaging without the need for a blackout enclosure. These features position the LightIR as a practical alternative for rapid, high-contrast fluorescence assessment during back table imaging. The availability of such clinical-grade systems may catalyze the development of new NIR-II fluorophores tailored for real-time surgical applications.