Research presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society provides evidence that new endoscope technology may help surgeons better remove cancerous tumors, according to a news release.
The technology — called Cerenkov Luminescence Endoscopy — combines endoscopy with the phenomenon responsible for the blue glow in the cooling water nuclear power reactor cores.
Cerenkov Luminescence Imaging has been used to improve the resolution of PET scans and produce images of organs and guide surgery in laboratory animals that otherwise would have been invisible to surgeons
"The advance marries endoscopes to one of the newest and most exciting fields of medical imaging," said lead researcher Zhen Cheng, PhD, in the release. "Endoscopes are medical devices consisting of a long, thin, flexible tube of optical fibers fitted with a light and a video camera. Doctors can insert them through natural openings in the body or small surgical incisions to diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases. The new approach expands the use of those fibers to include molecular-guided surgery to remove more of a cancerous tumor than is currently possible."
Related Articles on Endoscopy:
WA's Eastside Endoscopy Center Opens New Surgery Center in Issaquah
Study: Poor Patient Preparation for Colonoscopy Leads to Missed Polyps
Solos Endoscopy to Launch New Endoscopic Instrument Line