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| the detection of colon cells by using light technology |
What is this new approach to detect pre-cancerous colon cells? What is the new technology which inspires the scientists to develop such technological devices? and What is the use of it and whats its mechanism? Lets find the answers to these questions!
Bioengineers at Duke University made use of light technology which led to a new approach to the biotechnology. In the modern world of the advancing technology light technology can be used to detect the pre-cancerous colon cells in esophagus. This technology could be a non-invasive way for physicians to detect abnormal cells, or dysplasia, which have the potential of turning cancerous. Current biopsy techniques require physicians to take many random tissue samples, and for some disorders of the colon, these procedures can be disfiguring and life-changing. Instead of taking tissue samples, the new system would aim short bursts of light from the tip of an endoscope at locations suspected of having disease.
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| cells of fetal and pre-cancerous colon cells |
The scientists with help of Adam Wax Theodroe Kennedy, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, developed this device. According to their tests the colon cells scatters when the light is directed towards it they collected and analyzed that scattered light looking for the tell-tale signs of dysplasia. Significantly, the technique is noninvasive so no tissue is taken and no dyes or contrast agents are needed to do this research. They are trying to spot characteristic changes within the cells of the epithelium. The nuclei are mishappen and larger than the normal cells and they scatter light in their own way in case of pre-cancerous cells. The most useful important thing for clinicians is that they can see the change in the nuclei in cells which cannot be seen in by looking at the lining of the colon cells by normal endoscopic method .The technology developed for cancer detection is known as angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI). In this process, light is shined into a cell and sensors capture and analyze the light as it is reflected back. The technique separates the unique patterns of the nucleus from the other parts of the cell and provides representations of its changes in shape .
This approach could be the used future of diagnosing dysplasia of the colon cells using such biotechnology device and will change the old-fashioned techniques we use . This could be change the course in how we detect, characterize and even treat precancerous or cancerous lesions. For some gastrointestinal biopsies, the procedure itself has inherent risks such as bleeding or perforation, so a non-invasive technique could greatly improve a patient's quality of life.The scientists believe the new approach could be useful for people with inflammatory bowel disease, since they tend to have a higher incidence of dysplasia in the colon. Since approximately 85 percent of all cancers begin within the layers of the epithelium in various parts of the body they hope that the new system could also work in such cancers as those of the trachea, cervix or bladder.
[via: physorg]
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