On a per-lesion basis, detection improved from 25 to 67 percent. The system can be used on patients with Stage 1 completely resected lung cancer with no evidence of metastasis disease who are at risk for secondary cancer and patients suspected of having lung cancer because of clinical symptoms such as positive sputum cytology, unresolved pneumonia, persistent cough or suspicious X-ray examination. The physician first performs a complete white light bronchoscopic examination. Then a fluorescence examination is completed by switching the specific laser light source and camera. Images of the bronchial tissue natural fluorescence are stimulated by the laser light, captured and intensified by the camera and displayed in real time on color monitor.
Normal tissue appears green and suspicious tissue appears dark or reddish brown.
The physician can store and retrieve digital and video images from further study and to assist in targeting the biopsy of abnormally appearing tissue.