Significance: Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) can support intraoperative perfusion assessment, the identification of tissue structures, and the detection of cancerous lesions. The practical use of HSI for minimal-invasive surgery is currently limited, for example, due to long acquisition times, missing video, or large set-ups.

Aim: An HSI laparoscope is described and evaluated to address the requirements for clinical use and high-resolution spectral imaging.

Approach: Reflectance measurements with reference objects and resected human tissue from 500 to 1000 nm are performed to show the consistency with an approved medical HSI device for open surgery. Varying object distances are investigated, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is determined for different light sources.

Results: The handheld design enables real-time processing and visualization of HSI data during acquisition within 4.6 s. A color video is provided simultaneously and can be augmented with spectral information from push-broom imaging. The reflectance data from the HSI system for open surgery at 50 cm and the HSI laparoscope are consistent for object distances up to 10 cm. A standard rigid laparoscope in combination with a customized LED light source resulted in a mean SNR of 30 to 43 dB (500 to 950 nm).

Conclusions: Compact and rapid HSI with a high spatial- and spectral-resolution is feasible in clinical practice. Our work may support future studies on minimally invasive HSI to reduce intra- and postoperative complications.