More new technology being fast tracked into hospitals - such a...

More new technology being fast tracked into hospitals - such a shame to see the potential for the PBI/MVH suite of products being over-run with newer technology - they really need to kick a goal or two quiockly.



MINI MICROSCOPE COMING TO HOSPITALS

June 17, 2008 04:29am Article from: AAP

A TINY microscope that travels through the human body to detect early stage cancers will be installed in three Australian hospitals.
The Melbourne-developed technology has been rolled out in 30 major hospitals worldwide and now Australians too will benefit from the invention, which is giving new hope for better disease survival.
"This is a great example of how Australian innovations can better people's lives through the early detection of diseases," said Senator Kim Carr, federal minister for innovation, who will announce the roll-out at a US biotechnology conference today.
Invented by Melbourne company Optiscan, the miniature microscopes offer doctors magnifications of 1000 times, compared to 30-40 times in traditional endoscopy.
This will allow clinicians to detect gastrointestinal tract cancers and diseases like ulcerative colitis and gastritis, rapidly and precisely without the need for potentially error-prone and invasive biopsies.
"This is also a breakthrough in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease in children, because it can provide diagnosis and treatment in the one visit in some cases - rather than the child having to endure separate surgical procedures for a biopsy and treatment," Senator Carr said.
"Gastroenterologists will be able to detect ulcerative lesions, cancerous cells, or even spot the spiral cells of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, that cause stomach ulcers."
The microscopes will be installed at the Western Hospital, Box Hill Hospital and the Monash Medical Centre.
Optiscan chief executive Vicki Tutungi said one of the most exciting applications of the new endomicroscope was in diagnosing Barrett's oesophagus and its potential sequel, oesophageal cancer.
It allows more accurate and less invasive monitoring of patients with precursor symptoms to a particularly aggressive form of oesophageal cancer.
The announcement will be made at BIO 2008 in San Diego, California.