Philadelphia researchers from Penn Medicine have conducted a pilot study that uses injectable dyes and Near-Infrared Imaging (NIR) to make cancerous lung tumors glow bright green on a monitor during surgery. The technology will enable surgeons to better identify the size and shape of tumors, locate previously undetected cancer, and remove them safely in the operating room.

According to the researchers, the use of the dye on lung cancer, also known as adenocarcinoma, will help lessen or eliminate the recurrence of tumors after surgery because it helps the doctors remove all traces of the cancer and not leave anything behind.

The dye makes the tumors glow "Hulk Green" on monitors that the doctors have hooked up to NIR cameras during surgery.

Trials were run using mice and then on dogs with lung tumors with positive results. After the success of the trials on the dogs, Dr. Sunil Singha, assistant professor of surgery at Penn's Perelman School of Medicine who also co-authored the study, obtained approval to begin human trials.

When he used the dye on five patients with lung and chest tumors in his clinical trials, their tumors also glowed green under the cameras. The technique made identifying the exact size and location of the tumors and removing them much easier.

In another study also conducted by Singhal in August, he was able to discover undetected cancerous growths in two out of 18 patients with lung cancer.

"This technology eliminates any second-guessing by the surgeon, is safe -- it gives off less energy than the lights in the operating room -- is easy to understand and offers essential information to the surgeon in real-time, giving it the ability to make a real difference for patients," Singal said of the implications of the technology in cancer surgery.

Although the dye is still not ready for mass use, Singal and the Penn Medicine team hope that their findings will help pave the way for advancements in the use of imaging technology for tumor identification and extraction surgery.

The results of the study are published on The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.