Assessing the efficacy of intraoperative fluorescence imaging for tumor margin identification in breast conserving surgery

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) aims to remove malignant breast tissue while preserving healthy tissue, with clear margins crucial for reducing recurrence and avoiding additional surgeries. This study evaluated the effectiveness of intraoperative fluorescence imaging (IFI) in achieving negative margins compared to standard intraoperative techniques in 100 retrospectively analyzed patients. IFI-assisted BCS achieved negative margins in 88% of cases versus 65% with standard methods (p < 0.001) and significantly reduced re-excision rates (8% vs. 22%, p = 0.002). Long-term recurrence rates over 12 months were similar between the groups (p = 0.145). These findings suggest that IFI enhances margin visualization, reduces re-excisions and serves as a valuable adjunct to traditional techniques in BCS.