Intraoperative Near-Infrared Autofluorescence and Indocyanine Green Imaging to Identify Parathyroid Glands: A Comparison

Table 3

Comparison of autofluorescence and ICG imaging of parathyroid glands.

Autofluorescence imaging	ICG imaging
Confirmation of parathyroid tissue after identification of the gland by the naked eye	Confirmation of parathyroid tissue after identification of the gland by the naked eye
No screening tool	No screening tool
No administration of a pharmaceutical	Intravenous administration of a fluorophore with potential side effects. Not approved for this indication in Europe.
Fluorescence imaging with a modified ICG system	Fluorescence imaging with a standard ICG system
No assessment of parathyroid perfusion	Assessment of parathyroid perfusion possible
No appraisal of vascular anatomy	Evaluation of vascular anatomy possible
Additional operating time: 5–10 min	Additional operating time: 8–13 min
No additional costs	Additional costs of 70 EUR (ICG)