# hANDY-i(TM): A non-invasive, dual-sensor handheld imager for intraoperative preservation of parathyroid glands

> **NIH NIH R43** · OPTOSURGICAL, LLC · 2020 · $252,131

## Abstract

Postsurgical hypoparathyroidism or hypocalcemia are known to frequently occur after all 
thyroid surgeries due to misidentification and/or accidental disruption of the blood 
supply to the healthy parathyroid glands. Such accidental removal or injury of the 
parathyroid glands may lead to complications that result in lifelong sequelae. Because of the 
small size, variable position, and similar appearance to the surrounding tissues such as the 
 lymph node, fat, and thyroid gland, it is often difficult for low-volume surgeons to 
distinguish the parathyroid glands from the thyroid tissue. Furthermore, blood supply to 
the parathyroid glands is fragile and can be easily damaged during dissection. This is a 
challenging problem because it is clinically difficult to tell by visual inspection if a gland is 
still viable after manipulation. Currently, there is no standardized or practical 
equipment available to localize and assess the parathyroid gland viability in real time 
and in a noninvasive manner during operation. Thus, any viable solution would be considered 
significant to the endocrine community.
In this study, to address these unmet clinical needs, we propose to develop a noninvasive, dual- 
sensor RGB/NIR handheld imager that will potentially be a paradigm changing tool for patients with 
thyroid tumors. Our imaging solution, called hANDY-i™, permits 1) noninvasive parathyroid 
 gland identification and 2) seamless display of tissue viability in real time for the 
preservation of the parathyroid glands during thyroid surgery. This research will be a joint 
effort combining the technical and clinical expertise of Optosurgical LLC and Johns Hopkins 
Hospital. To test this hypothesis, we will study the following specific aims: Aim1: To 
characterize and deliver a compact, operating room-ready hANDY-i device; and Aim 2: To 
validate hANDY-i to identify the parathyroid glands and assess viability in an early feasibility 
study (N=10).
Upon successful completion of this SBIR Phase I project, we will proceed to the Phase II project, 
wherein we will engineer a commercial-grade version of the hANDY-i device and execute large-scale 
multicenter clinical trials. We envision that our technology will open a new door for the digital 
imaging paradigm of dye-free, temporally unlimited, and quantitative tissue perfusion assessment. 
Successful translation of this technology will potentially reduce the risk of 
hypoparathyroidism during thyroid surgery and improve clinical outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10138378
- **Project number:** 1R43EB030874-01
- **Recipient organization:** OPTOSURGICAL, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Richard Jaepyeong Cha
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $252,131
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2022-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10138378

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10138378, hANDY-i(TM): A non-invasive, dual-sensor handheld imager for intraoperative preservation of parathyroid glands (1R43EB030874-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10138378. Licensed CC0.

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