Clinical Application of Fluorescence Technology Using Indocyanine Green and 5-Aminolevulinic Acid

Abstract

New diagnostic techniques, such as near-infrared fluorescence using indocyanine green (ICG) dye and photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), are useful in various clinical fields for visualizing biological information that cannot be detected by the naked eye. Fluorescence-guided surgery combined with ICG fluorescence and 5-ALA-PDD improves surgical safety and treatment results. The evolution of irradiation equipment along with future drug exploitation is expected to lead to accurate diagnosis with minimally invasive methods and development of a high-quality image system.