Disclosed is a near-infrared fluorescent imaging agent that contains an indocyanine fluorescent dye and liposomes. The near-infrared fluorescent imaging agent has high fluorescence intensity and a long anchoring time in sentinel lymph nodes, and so is useful for detecting sentinel lymph nodes in sentinel lymph node navigation surgery. Further disclosed is an indocyanine green derivative that is particularly suitable for use in the near-infrared fluorescent imaging agent.本發明揭示了一種含有靛氰(indocyanine)系螢光色素與核糖體之近紅外線螢光成像劑。本發明之近紅外線螢光成像劑由於螢光強度較高、於前哨淋巴結(sentinel lymph node)中之駐留時間較長，故而有用於對前哨淋巴結導航手術(sentinel node navigation surgery)中之前哨淋巴結之檢測。進而，本發明亦揭示一種尤其適合用於依據本發明之近紅外線螢光成像劑的靛藍花青綠(indocyanine green)衍生物。
