The Dynamic Spectral Imaging (DSI) colposcope introduces, for the first time worldwide, the spectral analysis of the dynamic optical effects of the acetowhitening test. In that sense, it is an improved version of DySIS colposcope, also invented by QCELL’s R&D department members. The DSI colposcope leverages the snapshot spectral imaging capacity of QCELL’s Spectral Vision technology platform, to perform full spectrum, time-lapse imaging of the acetowhitening (AW) effect. The DSI’s AW mapping improves remarkably the in vivo diagnostic accuracy. It is a matured and proven technology in several, international clinical trials (see relevant publications below).
The second critical innovation, integrated to DSI colposcope, is the exploitation of its snapshot spectral imaging capability to measure and map the Lugol’s Iodine uptake by the cervical tissue, which, until now, is subjectively assessed.
The comparative evaluation of the measured AW and Lugol’s Iodine uptake maps provide complementary information about biological substance of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia, substantially improving diagnostic outcomes.
The DSI-Colposcope further exploits its spectral imaging capabilities to enhance the visualization of mosaic patterns and atypical vessels and to delineate the transformation zone.
Besides improving the diagnostic outcomes of colposcopy, the DSI’s AW and Lugol’s Iodine mapping images comprise an invaluable navigation tool for biopsy sampling and surgical treatment.
The DSI-colposcope acquires 4-K resolution images, supporting large display monitors, it is mounted on new ergonomic supporting structure and operates with any vaginal speculum type.
Contemporary Diagnostic Challenges: Expert Views
World Health Organization: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally with around 660 000 new cases and around 350 000 deaths in 2022. The highest rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality are in low- and middle-income countries. Few diseases reflect global inequities as much as cancer of the cervix.
Dr Peng Xue: The colposcopy-guided biopsy is crucial for detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and becomes the main bottleneck limiting screening performance. Existing challenges include strong dependence on the subjective experience of operators, substantial inter- and intra-operator variabilities, and shortage of experienced colposcopists.
As health systems and hospitals are more digitally enabled, traditional binocular colposcopy is also moving towards digital colposcopy, enabling colposcopists to access high-definition cervical images for diagnostic analyses.
Although digital colposcopy has increased the accuracy of cervical examinations, it remains suboptimal in clinical practice due to a high degree of inter- and intra-colposcopist variability. This fact is sighted in all published data, consistently reporting a large variability in terms of both sensitivity and specificity, with values ranging from 30% to 90% and from 40% to 95%, respectively.
QCELL’s DSI technology is the world’s first snapshot, spectral imaging colposcope, capable standardizing and improving the diagnostic outcomes, through the in vivo measurement of critical clinical features.
(Imaging data courtesy of QCELL’s clinical data center)
Color coded scale: Zero (no map), low (blue, cyan), medium (green), high (red, yellow, white)
Publications on Clinical Trial Validations of DSI Technology
Publications on the Scientific Foundations of DSI Technology
The DSI technology has come to impact the entire diagnostic chain of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia. A ground breaking, low-cost handheld screening imaging device is currently clinically tested in South African countries in the framework of a large, EU-funded project. Discover more
