# Phase II: Fluorescence guided surgery standardization tools

> **NIH NIH R44** · QUEL IMAGING LLC · 2022 · $999,083

## Abstract

Abstract
Fluorescence-guided surgery is increasingly being adopted by surgeons for the potential to obtain real-time
feedback, improving their ability to identify normal and diseased tissues through enhanced contrast. Yet, even
with this growing adoption, there is a stark lack of standardized system characterization or routine performance
monitoring, largely because the optical technologies vary considerably in their geometry, configuration,
components and ultimately their uses. The lack of performance targets across vendors leads to a high
inefficiency and irreproducibility between systems, and prevents the ability to exchange systems for the same
use. One of the more complicated but critical factors with optical imaging in tissue is accounting for how tissue
optical properties, spectral range and tissue layers/depths affect the image quality in non-linear and non-
intuitive ways. QUEL Imaging has developed methods for printing optical reference targets with controlled
optical properties and fluorescence inclusions of varying concentrations. In this application, we plan to expand
these product offerings by incorporating new fluorophores and target designs. Our centralized web-portal will
provide image analysis services to report metrics used for system characterization. Performance monitoring
targets will be developed for the purpose of implementing QA protocols specific to imaging form-factors:
endoscopic, close-box and open widefield systems. Our quality management system will be enhanced to align
with ISO13485 and ensure NIST traceability of our products. New printing techniques will be explored to
determine methods for further reducing production costs and improving scalability. This work will be supported
and guided by a panel of industry, academic and medical experts who will meet bi-annually to discuss current
and future needs to help better standardize this field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10484198
- **Project number:** 2R44EB029804-02
- **Recipient organization:** QUEL IMAGING LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Ethan Phillip Marshall LaRochelle
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $999,083
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10484198

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10484198, Phase II: Fluorescence guided surgery standardization tools (2R44EB029804-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10484198. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*