Objective: To detect the lymph nodes (LN) of rabbit thyroid by fluorescence imaging and to provide experimental evidence for its clinical application.
Methods: Each of 50 lateral thyroid lobes of 25 rabbits was injected with 0.02 ml of indocyanine green (ICG), and 0.02 ml methylene followed. ICG fluorescence was detected using photodynamic eye (PDE). The methylene staining in LN was also observed. The onset time of ICG staining in LN was measured.
Results: The detection rate of fluorescence imaging and blue dye imaging were respectively 86.0% (43/50) and 66.0% (33/50), with a significant difference (P = 0.034), and the accuracy were respectively 85.5% (53/62) and 70.7% (41/58). The onset time (x(-) ± s) of ICG staining in LN was (118.3 ± 16.1) s.
Conclusions: Fluorescence imaging showed satisfied detection rate and accuracy. The detection rate of LN by fluorescence imaging was higher than that by blue dye imaging. Fluorescence imaging could be an alternative method for the detection of LN of thyroid in future clinical practice.