A U.S. startup claims it has cracked one of surgery’s biggest visual challenges—seeing through blood. California-based Ocutrx Technologies has unveiled HemoLucence, a groundbreaking imaging technology that makes pooled blood appear translucent in real time, potentially transforming the way surgeons view anatomy during complex procedures.

Long considered impossible, the ability to visualize tissue and structures hidden beneath blood could dramatically improve surgical accuracy and outcomes. Ocutrx plans to integrate HemoLucence into its OR-Bot™ 3D Surgical Microscope, positioning it as a world-first in surgical imaging innovation.

In lab tests, HemoLucence successfully visualized through up to 3 millimeters—about a quarter-inch—of whole human blood. The company expects the system to eventually see through at least half an inch. While still awaiting patent approval and limited to laboratory testing, the results have drawn early praise from surgeons and medical advisors.

At its core, HemoLucence leverages AI-powered de-scattering algorithms and computational physics to separate light scattered by blood from the light absorbed by it—something conventional imaging systems cannot do. By analyzing how light behaves as it passes through blood and tissues, the system reconstructs a real-time, 3D visual of what lies beneath.

It can work from a single camera angle, but becomes even more precise with multi-angle inputs. Proprietary algorithms—based on neural networks and statistical modeling—help the system differentiate between scattered light and absorbed light, making normally hidden anatomical features like vessels, nerves, bleed sites, and tumors clearly visible.

“In operating room imaging, seeing through blood in real time has long been seen as not just difficult, but impossible,” said Jordan Boss, Chief R&D Officer at Ocutrx. “Traditional systems simply can’t do it. Our OR-Bot™ uses AI-driven algorithms to cut through the scatter and reconstruct what’s underneath.”

Medical professionals are taking note. Surgeons from Cedars-Sinai and Hoag Memorial Hospital, who serve as advisors to the company, have praised the technology for its potential to boost both safety and precision in high-stakes procedures.

“Rendering blood ‘transparent’ in the heat of surgery lets us see what was previously hidden, creating a new layer of confidence for surgeons,” said Dr. Leonel Hunt, a spine surgeon at Cedars-Sinai.

If successful in clinical testing, HemoLucence could reduce the need for traditional blood-clearing methods like suctioning, shorten surgical times, and increase precision—particularly in delicate or obstructed procedures. It adds to a growing field of computational imaging, where software augments what surgeons can see without physical manipulation.

While promising, HemoLucence remains a prototype for now. It must still undergo rigorous clinical trials and regulatory approvals before it can enter operating rooms. But if proven effective, it could mark a paradigm shift in surgical imaging—turning what was once invisible into something clearly seen.

By Impact Lab