Background/Objectives: 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.
背景/目的：在新鲜切除的组织标本上进行后台荧光成像是荧光引导手术的关键步骤，可在最终病理检查前快速评估肿瘤切缘。尽管大多数临床前近红外二区成像平台（如IR VIVO等）能在受控封闭环境下实现高分辨率及深度敏感成像，但其设计并非用于术中或即时检测场景。本研究通过对比采用相同Alizé 1.7 InGaAs探测器的IR VIVO系统与更紧凑、临床适应性更强的LightIR系统，评估LightIR在环境光条件下进行后台近红外二区成像的性能表现。 方法：使用两种系统分别对含吲哚菁绿的标准QUEL仿体及负载IR-1048染料的定制琼脂基组织仿体进行成像。定量评估成像灵敏度、空间分辨率和深度穿透能力。LightIR在模拟后台或术中使用的环境光条件下以脉冲模式运行，而IR VIVO则在全封闭配置下运行。 结果：IR VIVO系统实现了高空间分辨率（约125微米），在近红外一区可检测至30 nM的吲哚菁绿浓度，在近红外二区可检测至300 nM。LightIR系统虽需较长曝光时间，但能成功解析约250微米的结构特征，并可检测深度≥4毫米的吲哚菁绿信号。值得注意的是，借助实时背景扣除技术，LightIR在环境光条件下仍保持稳定的近红外二区对比度，并在无屏蔽的仿体设置中清晰呈现皮下IR-1048靶点，该条件符合后台操作流程需求。 结论：LightIR在深度穿透和空间分辨率方面表现出与IR VIVO相当的性能，同时无需暗箱遮蔽即可实现开放式近红外二区成像。这些特性使LightIR成为后台成像中快速、高对比度荧光评估的实用替代方案。此类临床级系统的问世或将推动适用于实时手术应用的新型近红外二区荧光染料的研发进程。
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