RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Near-infrared Fluorescence Imaging for Detecting Pancreatic Liver Metastasis in an Orthotopic Athymic Mouse Model JF In Vivo JO In Vivo FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 519 OP 523 DO 10.21873/invivo.13109 VO 37 IS 2 A1 LUCAS D. LEE A1 NINA A. HERING A1 MIRIAM ZIBELL A1 LEONARD A. LOBBES A1 CARSTEN KAMPHUES A1 JOHANNES C. LAUSCHER A1 GEORGIOS A. MARGONIS A1 HENDRIK SEELIGER A1 KATHARINA BEYER A1 BENJAMIN WEIXLER A1 IOANNIS POZIOS YR 2023 UL http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/37/2/519.abstract AB Background/Aim: Evidence of metastatic disease precludes oncological resection of pancreatic cancer. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent labels, such as indocyanine green (ICG), assist in the intraoperative detection of occult and micrometastatic liver disease. The present study aimed to analyse the role of NIR fluorescence imaging using ICG for pancreatic liver disease as proof of concept in an orthotopic athymic mouse model. Materials and Methods: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was induced by injecting L3.6pl human pancreatic tumour cells into the pancreatic tail of seven athymic mice. After four weeks of tumour growth, ICG was injected into the tail vein and NIR fluorescence imaging was performed at harvest to determine tumour-to-liver ratios (TLR) using Quest Spectrum® Fluorescence Imaging Platform. Results: Pancreatic tumour growth and liver metastasis could be visually confirmed for all seven animals. None of the hepatic metastases showed any detectable ICG-uptake. ICG-staining failed to visualize the liver metastases or to increase fluorescence intensity of the rim around the hepatic lesions. Conclusion: ICG-staining fails to visualize liver metastases induced by L3.6pl pancreatic tumour cells in athymic nude mice by NIR fluorescence imaging. Further studies are necessary to delineate the underlying mechanism for insufficient ICG uptake in these pancreatic liver metastases and for the lack of a fluorescent rim around the liver lesions.