Duke University Bioengineers Detect Pre-Cancerous Colon Cells with Light

Earlier this year, bioengineers at Duke University found that light sensors can detect esophageal cancer. They have now found that the same light sensors can also detect pre-cancerous cells in the colon, according to a Duke University Pratt School of Engineering news release.

Instead of taking random tissue samples, physicians use an endoscope from which short bursts of light search areas suspected of having pre-cancerous cells. When the light hits the tissue, it scatters, and physicians can look for abnormalities to detect dysplasia.

The team has developed a technology called angle-resolved low coherence interferometry which shines light into a cell. Sensors capture and analyze the reflected light. The technology separates the patterns of the nucleus from other parts of the cell and can provide representations of shape changes.

In a clinical study, the system was 85 percent accurate when compared to pathological findings. The system was 86 percent accurate for pinpointing Barrett's esophagus.

Related Articles about Colon Cancer:
40% of Medicare Cancer Screenings Are "Medically Unnecessary"
Women Can Wait Longer Than Men to Start Colonoscopies, Study Finds
Poll Finds Low Follow-up Screening Rates for Colon Cancer


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