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Optiscan says bringing its technology into operating theatres could be transformative as it has the potential to bridge the gap between diagnostic imaging and surgical decision-making, which could significantly reduce the reliance on post-operative pathology.
It says the process could improve a surgeon’s accuracy in determining tumour margins during a patient’s initial procedure, potentially minimising the need for follow-up surgeries, while lowering healthcare costs and improving overall patient care.
Optiscan Imaging chief executive officer and managing director Dr Camile Farah said: “We believe our innovative real-time microscopic imaging platform represents a genuine breakthrough in surgical cancer management by bringing live cellular imaging to the bedside. In the process, InVue will provide surgeons with digital tools to make confident, informed decisions about tumour clearance before patients leave the operating theatre.”
Farah said an ability to evaluate tumour margins with cellular-level precision during surgery could revolutionise breast cancer treatment, as real-time imaging would open the way for complete tumour removal, while preserving healthy tissue.
Breast cancer is the world’s most common cancer among women, with millions of new cases diagnosed annually. Survival rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades, thanks to innovations in drug and surgical treatments.
Lumpectomy is a modern treatment that aims to remove a tumour while conserving as much of the healthy breast tissue around it as possible.
As Royal Melbourne and Royal Women’s Hospitals director of breast cancer services Professor Bruce Mann explained, inadequate margins can often lead to additional surgeries, increase the physical and emotional strain on patients, delay subsequent treatments and raise healthcare costs.
“This highlights the critical need for innovative solutions that enable surgeons to assess tumour margins accurately and in real-time during the initial surgical procedure, improving outcomes for patients and reducing the burden on healthcare systems,” he said.
Optiscan says achieving a seamless surgical oncology-pathology workflow from both its devices would provide further evidence supporting a digital transition for common surgical procedures. As a bonus, it could also build more evidence that its innovative InForm device could replace the standard frozen section technique currently used by pathologists.
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