Mice with liver cancer were used as animal model and assessed by in vivo fluorescence imaging to evaluate near-infrared imaging effect and organ aggregation and distribution of probe in vivo.

The technique makes use of a portable system called FLARE, short for Fluorescence-Assisted Resection and Exploration, which consists of a near-infrared imaging system, a video monitor, and a computer.

The scientists monitored the dreamers with both magnetic resonance imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy to see patterns of heat in their subject's heads, which gives a picture of brain activity.