In addition to factors such as the age and state of health of the donor, organ preservation plays a decisive role in the functionality of an organ and thus in the success of the transplant.

In recent years, there have been many efforts to improve organ quality in this regard. Compared to classical cryopreservation, which is usually associated with ischemia/reperfusion damage due to cool storage, rewarming and blood flow in the recipient, (normothermic) organ perfusion and preservation using dynamic flow principles (machine perfusion) can significantly improve organ quality.

With the help of TIVITA®, organ quality could be examined efficiently, with little time expenditure and non-invasively. In addition to the pre-operative analysis of the viability of the organ, the organ storage and treatment as well as the short-term success of the transplantation at the end of the operation (control of tissue perfusion) can be assessed on the basis of parameters for tissue oxygenation and blood flow. This means that the surgeon can already objectively assess before the operation whether the organ is suitable for transplantation or not. In addition, it is possible for him/her to check directly after the transplantation whether the blood vessels were sutured correctly and the organ is sufficiently supplied with blood.

In a recent study by Sucher et al (2020), intraoperative HSI was successful in objectively assessing the viability and performance of the renal parenchyma and ureter of kidney grafts and predicting delayed graft function.

The method of organ preservation by machine perfusion is currently being researched in Leipzig and Innsbruck. In these studies, the TIVITA® serves as a monitoring instrument to assess organ quality prior to transplantation or during organ treatment during machine perfusion.

In dermatology, too, the optimization of the treatment of acute and chronic wounds is the focus of many clinical studies. In addition to wound cleansing, modern bioactive wound dressings and cold atmospheric pressure plasma represent innovative treatment options. Another major goal in this field is the non-invasive and reliable diagnosis of skin cancer using hyperspectral camera technology and artificial intelligence.

As part of a pilot study by the research group led by Prof. Emmert (University Medical Center Rostock), it is currently being tested whether therapy with cold atmospheric pressure plasma has a favorable influence on the healing process of split skin removal sites and prevents possible complications such as infections. Here, the course of wound healing is documented, among other things by means of hyperspectral technology, and thus different wound therapies are objectively compared with each other.

In another study from Greifswald, the TIVITA is used to monitor the wound healing process of split skin removal sites on the thigh, which were treated with a wound gel.

Especially in critically ill patients, microcirculatory changes are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Therefore, in intensive care and emergency medicine, it is particularly important to monitor tissue perfusion and edema formation in addition to macrocirculation to reduce the negative effects of hemodynamic incoherence.

Here, hyperspectral imaging is a promising method to monitor bedside changes in microcirculation, oxygenation and water content of the skin. Problems such as drug dose errors, circulatory disturbances, pulmonary complications or inefficient oxygen therapies could thus be detected at an early stage. The tissue water index, as a parameter of tissue or intestinal edema, can, for example, allow indirect conclusions to be drawn about the anesthesiological control of intraoperative volume therapy.

This example shows very impressively the ability of hyperspectral imaging to detect microcirculatory/edematous changes in critically ill patients at the bedside. Thus, therapy can be adjusted at an early stage.