WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsTiny microscope helps detect cancer

Tiny microscope helps detect cancer

63-year-old John Cardoza considers himself pretty lucky. He was getting an endoscopy for pancreatic cancer, when an unrelated trouble spot appeared. "Dr. Saltzman noticed he didn't like what he saw on the esophagus and stomach," says John.

The doctor was using new imaging technology called cellvizio endomicroscopy to do an "optical biopsy" on the suspicious tissue. A catheter is placed through an endoscope, and on the tip is a tiny microscope that shows the patient's living, moving cells up-close.

It's the first time they've ever been able to do this, resulting in a faster, more precise diagnosis and treatment. "In the past we would look and we would take our best estimate of what we are looking at and take biopsies to prove it, then we'd come back and base our therapies on our biopsies. What this technology allows us to do is to focus right in on the cells, get information about what they are and then make treatment decisions in real time," says Dr. John Saltzman.

"The areas that are darker are some of the areas that are more concerning to us," says Dr. Salzman.  With Cellvizio guiding him, Dr. Saltzman removed the suspicious tissue with the endoscope, which saved John from major surgery on his esophagus. John also found out the tumor was benign, one less problem to deal with.

Cellvizio technology is currently being used at leading research and medical institutions across the United States.