Quantification of bowel ischaemia using real-time multispectral Single Snapshot Imaging of Optical Properties (SSOP)

BACKGROUND: Single snapshot imaging of optical properties (SSOP) is a relatively new non-invasive, real-time, contrast-free optical imaging technology, which allows for the real-time quantitative assessment of physiological properties, including tissue oxygenation (StO2). This study evaluates the accuracy of multispectral SSOP in quantifying bowel ischaemia in a preclinical experimental model. METHODS: In six pigs, an ischaemic bowel segment was created by dividing the arcade branches. Five regions of interest (ROIs) were identified on the bowel loop, as follows: ROI 1: central ischaemic; ROI 2: left marginal; ROI 3: left vascularised; ROI 4: right marginal; and ROI 5: right vascularised. The Trident imaging system, specifically developed for real-time tissue oxygenation imaging using SSOP, was used to image before (T0) and after ischaemia induction. Capillary and systemic lactates were measured at each time point (T0, T15, T30, T45, T60), as well as StO2 values acquired by means of SSOP (SSOP-StO2). RESULTS: The mean value of SSOP-StO2 in ROI 1 was 30.08 ± 6.963 and was significantly lower when compared to marginal ROIs (ROI 2 + ROI 4: 45.67 ± 10.02 p = < 0.0001), and to vascularised ROIs (ROI 3 + ROI 5: 48.08 ± 7.083 p = < 0.0001). SSOP-StO2 was significantly correlated with normalised lactates r = − 0.5892 p < 0.0001 and with histology r =− 0.6251 p = 0.0002. CONCLUSION: Multispectral SSOP allows for a contrast-free accurate assessment of small bowel perfusion identifying physiological tissue oxygenation as confirmed with perfusion biomarkers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00464-022-09764-z.