Kennedy GT, Azari FS, Bernstein E, et al. - In this nonrandomized open-label trial, researchers investigated whether intraoperative molecular imaging (IMI), a novel technology using a fluorescent tracer targeted to malignant cells, could aid in localization of visually occult, nonpalpable tumors and quantification of margin distances during resection.

• The trial included a total of 40 patients who were diagnosed with a small (T1) lung lesion suspicious for malignant neoplasms and with radiographic features suggestive of a nonpalpable lesion.

• Intraoperative molecular imaging allowed identification of 83% of nonpalpable, nonvisible lesions and calculation of margins nearly identical to those described on final pathology.

• Intraoperative molecular imaging is supported to have value for improving surgical management of nonpalpable tumors across the field of surgical oncology given its applicability in identifying occult tumors and cancer-positive margins that may have been missed by conventional surgical methods.