Fig. 4: Fluorescence-guided assessment of surgical margins.

Representative example of a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue from a subject with a negative surgical margin. In- and ex vivo visualization of fluorescence in the tumor (a, c, g, i) with no fluorescent signal in the surgical cavity or at the surgical resection margin (b, h, d, j). Correlation of fluorescent signals on a tissue slice with the histology (e, k, f) with a tumor-negative surgical margin of 6.4 mm. Representative example of breast cancer surgery (i.e., a lumpectomy) with a tumor-positive surgical margin (l, m, n, o). Fluorescence is detected at the ventral surgical resection margin both in vivo and immediately after excision (r, s, t, u) which corresponds with the fluorescence localization on the tissue slice (p, v) and the final histopathology (q). The tumor is delineated as a solid black line on the H/E slices (f, q). H/E hematoxylin eosin, SOC standard of care.