Evaluating surgical near-infrared camera systems with a view to optimising operator and computational signal analysis

Abstract

Special cameras during operations allow surgeons to check the blood supply of organs they are operating on by imaging injected dyes. This indicates tissue health and can help with reducing healing complications and even identify disease. However, there are different brands and arrangements of cameras, and they work differently in how they display the image. In this experiment, we test different models and variations of such clinical systems while handling them in different ways to see how this affected the displayed picture. This research allows us to better understand how such equipment works and these learnings can inform next step evolution of surgical care, especially when considering computerised interpretations of the fluorescence signals.