Digital İmaging Software To Create A 'Google Earth'View Of The Bladder

Bladder cancer is the fourth-most-common cancer in men and one of the most expensive cancers to treat from diagnosis to death. After initial diagnosis and surgery, patients must return to the urologist at least yearly for a costly, time-consuming and uncomfortable bladder scan. Tumors recur in more than half of patients. Researchers at the University of Washington are proposing a more automated approach that could be cheaper, more comfortable and more convenient for both doctors and patients. Their system would use the UW's ultrathin laser endoscope, which is like a thin piece of cooked spaghetti, in combination with software that stitches together images from the scope's path to create a full, 3-D panorama of the bladder interior.

The semi-automated scan could be done by a nurse or technician. Resulting images could be reviewed by a urologist at a later time, potentially in another city or country.

"This is trying to bring endoscopy to a more digital, modern age," said co-author Eric Seibel, a UW research associate professor of mechanical engineering. "In the current model a very highly trained person has to do all the manual controls. There's no electronic record, no longitudinal studies, no remote diagnosis and you can't send records anywhere."

The research is being presented today in Washington, D.C., at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association.

Currently, urologists conduct bladder exams using an endoscope that's manipulated around the bladder during the roughly 5 minute scan. Because a specialist is required, some patients have to travel long distances for appointments.

Unlike ultrasounds, X-rays and CT scans, endoscopies are only performed by medical doctors. Often no records exist beyond the doctor's notes.

The UW software checks that no part of the organ was missed, so a nurse or technician could administer the procedure – especially using a small scope that doesn't require anesthesia.

"There's a potential with this technology to semi-automate or fully automate the examination," said Dr. Michael Porter, a UW assistant professor of urology. "It's a few years down the road, at least, but the potential is there."

The current user interface projects the reconstructed organ onto a spherical ball or onto a flat map. The resulting mosaic matches the images to a single pixel of accuracy. Ultimately, the digital display would incorporate all the original frames, so a doctor could zoom in on an area of interest and observe from all angles at the highest resolution.