A method for performing percutaneous spinal interbody fusion on a spine of a patient can include inserting without direct visualization a neuro-monitoring dilating probe into the patient, performing neuro-monitoring via the neuro-monitoring dilating probe, advancing the neuro-monitoring dilating probe into a disc space, passing a second dilator over the neuro-monitoring dilating probe, and advancing the second dilator into the disc space. A kit for performing percutaneous spinal interbody fusion can include a neuro-monitoring dilating probe, a second dilator, a tissue removal tool, an access portal comprising an adjustable depth stop, and a discectomy verification device.

The present invention relates to the use of an aza-BODIPY fluorophore compound as a contrast agent in the optical window ranging from 1000 to 1700 nm. The invention also relates to the use, as a contrast agent, of a composition comprising said fluorophore compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and/or a solvent, in a kit comprising an injection system and said fluorophore or said composition, and also to a method for identifying a biological target (such as a healthy or tumour cell, a protein, DNA, RNA, for example).

The present disclosure provides materials and methods for the continuous measurement of biomolecules in vivo and in real-time. The present disclosure relates more specifically to using capture agents and detection agents within a microfluidic device to detect and quantify biochemical features of biomarkers, enabling real-time detection and concentration measurements.

The present invention provides phase separation sensors capable of targeting or associating with one or more biomolecular condensate or membraneless compartment in cells. The phase separation sensors comprise at least two domains wherein a first domain comprises one or more accessory protein or molecule and a second domain comprises an artificial client protein or intrinsically disordered sequence. The artificial client protein possesses intrinsic disorder and is capable of engaging in ultra-weak phase separation-specific interactions with one or more component protein or molecule in a biomolecular condensate. Methods and applications utilizing the sensors are provided including targeting, detecting, visualizing, manipulating, monitoring a biomolecular condensate and delivering one or more functional protein, label, drug or agent to a biomolecular condensate.

An imaging system for cell-based therapies is provided. The imagining system includes one or more optical tags configured for insertion into a cell or biological tissue, an excitation light source configured to illuminate the one or more optical tags; a detector configured to measure optical emission of the one or more optical tags; an imaging subsystem configured to determine a three-dimensional location of each of the one or more optical tags in the cell or biological tissue; and a controller in electrical communication with the excitation light source, the detector, and the imaging subsystem. Each of the one or more optical tags has a contrasting feature and includes a fluorescent material. The contrasting feature may be defined by at least one of a refractive index, shape, color, and laser emission of each optical tag of the one or more optical tags.

In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method of generating a visualization of wavelength-dependent surface characteristics is provided. A computing device receives an input image captured by a camera, wherein the input image includes information in a low-dimensional color space. The computing device processes the input image to determine spectrum band information in a high-dimensional color space that corresponds to the input image. The computing device extracts subtractive information from the spectrum band information to obtain wavelength-dependent surface characteristic information, The computing device generates the visualization using the wavelength-dependent surface characteristic information. In some embodiments, the computing device may be a smartphone.

A system for performing a surgical procedure includes a camera configured to capture real-time near infrared images, an injection system configured to inject a fluorescent dye into a patient's blood stream, and a workstation operably coupled to the camera for retrieving a three-dimensional (3D) model of the patient's anatomy based on pre-procedure images, retrieve an indication of a targeted critical structure within the 3D model, observe, using the captured real-time near infrared images, perfusion of the fluorescent dye through tissue to identify critical structures illuminated by near-infrared light, and register the real-time near-infrared images to the 3D model using the identified illuminated targeted critical structure in the real-time near infrared images captured by the camera and the identified targeted critical structure in the 3D model as a landmark.

The present invention relates to a real-time parathyroid imaging apparatus including: a light source including an excitation filter capable of exciting parathyroid glands; and a camera including an image sensor and an emission filter of which a transmissivity ratio between a visible light region and a near-infrared emission wavelength region is N:1 (here, N<1). Through the present invention, a system may be implemented whereby a surgeon may acquire, in real-time during an operation, an autofluorescence image of the parathyroid glands by using a near-infrared light source, and an auto focus function may be used, and visible light and near-infrared autofluorescence images may be simultaneously fused and acquired without having to turn off the lights in an operating room.

Instruments and methods for wide-field polarized imaging of the skin to determine an outer lesion margin objectively in vivo to provide guidance to a surgeon. Quantitative characterization of collagen structures in the skin can be used to determine the outer lesion margin or monitor skin treatment.

The disclosure provides for methods for monitoring mucosal healing in a patient with a digestive disease, or for use in a pre-disease state, and includes intestinal as well as extra-intestinal disorders in which gut permeability is increased. The method may include establishing a baseline of the patient, treating the patient for the digestive disease or the pre-disease state, measuring gut permeability of the patient after treatment, and comparing a second total percentage of the administered dose recovered to the baseline total percentage of the administered dose recovered. Establishing the baseline may include enterally administering a first dosage of a composition comprising a fluorescent tracer, measuring a first amount of the administered dose that can be found outside the gut over a period of time, and determining a baseline total percentage of the administered dose recovered. Measuring gut permeability may include enterally administering a second dosage of the composition, measuring a second amount of the administered dose, and determining a second total percentage of the administered dose recovered.