PARIS – Mauna Kea Technologies has announced a collaboration with the Laboratory of Robert Hitchcock, Ph.D., Department of Bioengineering, to develop a novel technology to monitor and diagnose lung disease. CellVizio is an ultra-thin, fiber optic confocal endomicroscope that can extend to the distal lung, reaching areas where the traditional bronchoscope cannot. Hitchcock’s group and the University of Edinburgh are integrating this imaging device into an advanced pulmonary access catheter, a breakthrough that will allow physicians to visualize cancer margins and microstructures within living tissue in real-time, leading to faster, more accurate diagnoses.
The Hitchcock laboratory is also actively adapting the technology for use in other applications. “We foresee the integration of fiber-optics imaging technology into guidewires, catheters, and surgical instruments to guide cardiac and neurointerventional procedures, in particular, cardiothoracic surgery,” says Hitchcock. “These projects leverage the University’s expertise in engineering and device development to accelerate innovation, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.”
