Intraoperative Imaging with Second Window Indocyanine Green for Head and Neck Lesions and Regional Metastasis

While optical imaging with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye has been used in oncologic surgery, its use in the head and neck has not been established. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using NIR to visualize primary tumor and regional metastasis in head and neck malignancy. Patients undergoing resection of primary head and neck tumors were included in this pilot study. Each patient was injected with indocyanine green dye (ICG) the day prior to surgery. The VisionSense Iridium camera system was used to visualize the primary lesion, its margins, and neck dissection specimen intraoperatively. Fourteen patients were enrolled. Eighty-six percent of primary tumors showed fluorescence as compared with surrounding tissues. ICG positivity showed 100% sensitivity for pathologic nodes in 7 neck dissection specimens; however, for 3 patients, nonpathologic nodes also showed ICG positivity. NIR imaging with ICG dye can be considered for intraoperative imaging of head and neck lesions.