In any clinical study, diagnosis of the disease is very important step and this can be carried out perfectly with the right digital imaging solution. Digital imaging offers superior image quality in many of today's consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, tablets and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems.

OmniVision Technologies, Inc., a developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, has introduced its ultra-compact, high-performance OV6930 CMOS image sensor performed exceptionally well in a recent 448-patient clinical study on Avantis Medical Systems' Third Eye Retroscope.

The Third Eye Retroscope can increase the accuracy in diagnosing adenomas, or pre-cancerous polyps, by 23.2 percent when used in conjunction with a traditional colonoscope. This statement was also published in the March issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

“The OV6930's excellent low-light sensitivity and image quality enabled the Third Eye to perform extraordinarily well in the clinical study, drastically improving colonoscopy accuracy,” said Matthew Whitcombe, senior marketing manager at OmniVision. “Moreover, by providing this superior performance in a form factor with an exceedingly small footprint, the OV6930 allows for ultra-compact camera designs, making these medical procedures minimally invasive for the patient.”

The Third Eye Retroscope is an FDA-cleared, disposable, catheter-based camera for use with a standard colonoscope that offers a continuous backward-looking view while the colonoscope provides the usual forward view.

In 2010, Avantis received a Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement code for the Third Eye Retroscope. The companies believe that this recognition by Medicare and Medicaid, combined with the favorable results from this recent clinical study, may significantly accelerate the adoption rate by healthcare providers in the United States.

“With currently more than 150,000 cases of colorectal cancer reported annually in the U.S., and more than 400,000 in Europe, it is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and Europe,“ said Doug Gielow, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Avantis. “However, using today's advanced imaging technologies, it can be highly preventable through early detection. Now that this product is Medicare approved, we hope to see greater adoption of this technology by healthcare providers, who can now submit claims for reimbursement.”

He continued, “We're extremely excited to watch the disposable medical imaging market grow as physicians and patients continue to experience the added benefit of our medical imaging solutions.”



Mandira Srivastava is a HealthTechZone contributor. She works as a full-time writer, ghostwriter and blogger, and has more than two years of experience in print and Web media. She has also worked on company brochures, website content and product descriptions, as well as proofreading and editing content. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell