MedLumics Introduces NITID Skin Imaging System at EADV
New imaging system allows for evaluation and monitoring of skin cancer without an invasive tissue biopsy
MADRID – MedLumics, a medical imaging company specializing in advanced optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology, debuted its NITIDTM skin imaging system at the 23rd Annual European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress in Amsterdam. NITID is a handheld diagnostic device designed to help dermatologists quickly and minimally invasively diagnose skin cancer. Once approved by regulatory bodies, it will be the first point-of-care OCT imaging device that can produce dynamic, real-time, high-resolution diagnostic images with tissue penetration capability of up to two millimeters.
“NITID is the result of a decade of research in optical miniaturization technology, and we are thrilled to introduce it at EADV,” said Eduardo Margallo, CEO of MedLumics. “NITID integrates three imaging modalities in one easy-to-use probe, thereby enabling physicians to produce high-quality images of a patient’s skin and determine whether skin cancer is present without an invasive biopsy. We believe NITID is a gateway into the future of personalized dermatology, supporting the introduction of new non-surgical treatments and could not be more pleased with the positive reception and validation it received at EADV. “
The NITID device combines epiluminescence microscopy and OCT imagery in a patent-protected, built-in display that integrates seamlessly with current patient-centered workflows. By means of infrared light, this diagnostic image modality is able to obtain, in a non-invasive way, sectional images with micrometric resolution from the inside of biological tissues. It is designed to provide a complete solution to patient and image management, supporting lesion mapping and follow-up, and will be completely portable, allowing physicians to use throughout their offices. NITID will bring clinical value across several dermatology and skin care indications.
Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common form of skin cancer in Caucasian populations, costing more than $11 billion to treat annually in the United States. Melanoma is the fifth most common and deadly tumor type; approximately 2 percent of American men and women will suffer from it at some point during their lifetime. However, there is currently no compact, cost-efficient and non-invasive way to diagnose malignant tissue.
About MedLumics
Founded in 2009, MedLumics is a medical imaging company specializing in advanced optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices. Its proprietary integrated optics platform technology combines optical and electrical components in a miniature package, enabling for the first time ultra-portable, hand-held OCT systems that produce high quality real-time images. The systems allow physicians to improve diagnostic and therapeutic procedures through a non-invasive optical evaluation of tissue. MedLumics received a 3.5 million Euro/4.7 million USD Series A financing from joint investors Ysios Capital Partners and “la Caixa” (through Caixa Capital Risc) in November 2011. For more information, visit www.medlumics.com
About NITID.
The development of NITID is one of the outcomes of the BiopsyPen project . BiopsyPen is a project funded by the European Commission (FP7 Contract nº 611132) which aims at developing a broadly available, cost effective, reliable and compact, optical biopsy tool which will radically transform the impact of biophotonic technologies in dermatology and point-of-care diagnosis. Through the use of integrated optics in combination with complementary cutting-edge technologies, BiopsyPen will dramatically reduce cost and size (both at least by one order of magnitude) of currently available OCT commercial systems. It will also eliminate instrumentation maintenance requirements and will reduce training and healthcare costs, paving the way for a revolution in dermatology and primary care. A consortium of seven partners from six different European countries, involving academia, industry and SMEs, has been set up to achieve the BiopsyPen goals.
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