Colour-Guided Surgery: A Conceptual Framework for Multimodal Intraoperative Visualisation-A Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative imaging has evolved beyond white-light visualisation to include fluorescence imaging, colour enhancement, artificial intelligence (AI), and molecular-targeted imaging. However, these modalities are typically used independently. METHODS: This narrative review synthesises current multimodal intraoperative imaging and presents representative clinical images and conceptual illustrations to demonstrate complementary visual information. RESULTS: White-light imaging provides anatomical context; colour enhancement improves tissue contrast; fluorescence imaging adds functional information; AI supports real-time recognition; and molecular imaging enables biologically specific visualisation. These modalities collectively form layered visual information that enhances intraoperative understanding. CONCLUSIONS: Colour-guided surgery is proposed as a conceptual framework integrating multimodal imaging into a unified intraoperative guidance system and may provide a conceptual basis for future evaluation of multimodal intraoperative guidance in robotic and minimally invasive surgery.