Clinical applications of indocyanine green fluorescence for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Core Tip

Core Tip: We report the clinical application of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In minimally invasive surgery, ICG is used for precise delineation of hepatic segments during anatomical liver resection. This innovative technique can also serve as a powerful tool for detecting superficial HCC in patients with macronodular cirrhosis through intravenous ICG injection prior to surgery. The relationship between ICG fluorescence patterns and microinvasive components is of particular interest, such as vascular microinfiltration of the portal or hepatic veins, bile duct infiltration, and the presence of satellite nodules. Finally, a new frontier in ICG fluorescence lies in its ability to identify lymphatic drainage pathways and sentinel lymph nodes during surgery, although further research is needed to optimize its application.