New non-invasive imaging system is changing the way doctors detect skin cancer
BLUFFTON, S.C. —
Bluffton, SC – Dr. Audrey Klenke has performed many biopsies to diagnose skin cancer. That’s when the area of concern is numbed with a needle, and a piece of the patient’s skin is removed. Now Vivascope 1500 is changing that practice by allowing patients to skip the biopsy.
“So it takes away the pain of the needles,” Dr. Klenke said. “It takes away having a wound that has to heal, takes away scars and it gives you the same information.”
The imaging system uses a near-infrared light source to capture images of the upper layer of skin. “When the laser is pressed on a spot, you’re actually as the patient able to look at the computer screen and see a microscopic image of your skin,” said Dr. Klenke.
Then those images are sent electronically to a specialist who reads them.
“So because there’s no tissue to process, and everything is done so quickly within 48 hours you get a response,” said Dr. Klenke. “You know whether that lesion was totally benign, and we can watch it or decide whether it needs to be removed.”
With a traditional biopsy, patients have to wait about seven to 10 days to get results from their doctors.
Pinnacle Plastic Surgery in Bluffton, SC is the only practice within multiple states to offer this technology. It’s covered by most insurance companies.
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