A Novel Indocyanine Green-Based Fluorescent Marker For Guiding Surgical Tumor Resection

Surgical tumor resection is a common approach to cancer treatment. India Ink tattoos are widely used to aid tumor resection by localizing and mapping the tumor edge at the surface. However, India Ink tattoos are easily obscured during electrosurgical resection, and fade in intensity over time. In this work, a novel near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent marker is introduced as an alternative. The NIR marker was made by mixing indocyanine green (ICG), biocompatible cyanoacrylate, and acetone. The marking strategy was evaluated in a chronic ex vivo feasibility study using porcine tissues, followed by a chronic in vivo mouse study while compared with India Ink. In both studies, signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios and dimensions of the NIR markers and/or India Ink over the study period were calculated and reported. Electrocautery was performed on the last day of the mouse study after mice were euthanized, and SNR ratios and dimensions were quantified and compared. Biopsy was performed at all injection sites and slides were examined by a pathologist. The proposed NIR marker achieved (i) consistent visibility in the 26-day feasibility study and (ii) improved durability, visibility, and biocompatibility when compared to traditional India Ink over the six-week period in an in vivo mouse model. These effects persist after electrocautery whereas the India Ink markers were obscured. The use of a NIR fluorescent presurgical marking strategy has the potential for intraoperative tracking during long-term treatment protocols.