Aims: Adequate lymph node examination is key to accurate cancer staging. Lymph node search in surgical resection specimens is a challenging task because it can be labor intensive and inconsistent. This study investigates the effectiveness of shortwave infrared imaging technology in increasing the overall and positive lymph node numbers. Methods: 104 surgical resection specimens from two hospitals were first grossed with traditional manual palpation. The residual tissues were then grossed with the assistance of shortwave infrared imaging. The numbers of lymph nodes and positive lymph nodes within these two steps were documented and compared. Results: In 90 of the 104 cases (86.5%), shortwave infrared imaging assisted gross examination identified additional lymph nodes. In 11 of 104 cases (10.6%), shortwave infrared imaging assisted gross examination identified additional positive lymph nodes. Conclusions: Shortwave infrared imaging increases the number of lymph nodes and the number of positive lymph nodes in surgical pathology specimens compared to traditional visual and manual dissection.

S Khelifa, R Seltzer, J Manuel, M W Rosenbaum, J Almas, Z Li are shareholders and/or employees of Cision Vision, Inc., a company that sells shortwave infrared imaging systems, including Cision InVisionTM Pathology Imaging System.

This study did not receive any funding

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The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

IRB of Wisconsin Medical College gave ethical approval for this work. IRB of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System gave ethical approval for this work.

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