ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Indocyanine green (ICG) is a water-soluble fluorescent dye that is bound to plasma protein when administered intravenously. Removal of ICG from the blood depends on hepatic blood flow, function of the parenchymal cells and biliary excretion. ICG elimination is described as a useful dynamic liver function test. METHODS: In this review, we looked at the most recent literature to clarify why ICG is useful in critically ill patients, the validity of the ICG plasma disappearance rate (ICG-PDR) measured transcutaneously and whether ICG-PDR has any prognostic value. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, measuring ICG-PDR is a valuable method for dynamic assessment of liver function, and is found to be a valuable prognostic tool in predicting survival for septic patients, patients presenting with acute liver failure and critically ill patients.