Purpose of review: Fluorescent tracers can provide anatomical and functional information without altering the visual surgical field. Despite the advances that are being made in tracer development, only a few fluorescent tracers are available for urological interventions.
Recent findings: Protoporphyrin IX, hypericin, fluorescein, and indocyanine green were shown to facilitate surgical resection in various ways. Hybrid imaging agents, combining radio and fluorescent labels, have shown improved integration between preoperative and intraoperative imaging. With the rise of surgical fluorescence guidance, various camera systems have been developed that are tailored for optimal detection of the fluorochromes of interest.
Summary: In this review, the basics of fluorescence-guided surgery, including tracer and hardware requirements are discussed.