The FDA approved Avantis Medical's colonoscopy imaging device that is capable of showing a wide-angle image of more than 300 degrees during colorectal cancer screening procedures.
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| Third Eye Panoramic Device, and where it attaches onto a colonoscope--Courtesy of Avantis |
Dubbed the Third Eye Panoramic digital imaging device, its wide angle views allow doctors to look for precancerous polyps tucked behind folds in the lining of the colon, the company said in a press release. The device was designed so it can be used with standard adult- or pediatric-sized colonoscopes, cutting down on additional costs for medical facilities that have already invested in high-resolution or high-definition video cameras.
Since the device can be attached to the outside tip of a colonoscope, it doesn't need to be removed for the insertion of other instruments during a procedure.
"Improving the quality of colonoscopy with enhanced imaging has been shown in recent studies to increase our ability to detect precancerous polyps," Dr. Moshe Rubin, who performed a feasibility study of the device at New York Hospital Queens Weill Cornell Medical College, said in a statement. "Additionally, the non-obtrusive video cap does not change the dynamics of scope insertion or maneuverability, thus providing an enhanced nearly 360-degree view without sacrificing scope familiarity, usability or efficiency."
In the second phase of the study, which was conducted along with Dr. Sang Kim, the adenoma detection rate was 48%.
According to American Cancer Society statistics cited by the company, about 150,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year and almost 50,000 die from the disease. It is the second biggest cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.
- see the release