Mauna Kea Technologies, inventor of Cellvizio, the unique trans-disciplinary optical biopsy platform, announced a new collaboration with Siemens Healthcare to evaluate the clinical benefits of Cellvizio in interventional radiology procedures.
Cellvizio’s needle-based optical biopsy technology will be used in combination with Siemens Angiography & Interventional X-ray (AX) and Computed Tomography (CT) imaging systems in two clinical studies taking place at the Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP) in Paris and the University Hospital in Strasbourg, France.
Doctors will use the Cellvizio and Siemens AX and CT technologies combined in a range of interventional radiology procedures, which is a growing field in medicine, representing a potential multimillion procedure volume in the world each year.
In this process, doctors insert a small needle, guided by X-ray, into tissue to perform biopsy or ablation. The two clinical trials will focus on procedures involving the lungs, liver and kidneys. Patients will receive a full examination using a combination of Cellvizio and Siemens imaging and guiding technologies.
"We strongly believe that real-time cellular information can enhance reliability and efficiency of biopsies and treatments by providing feedback on the adequacy of the location targeted, and streamline patient management", said Prof. Gangi, Interventional Radiologist and chairman of Radiology at University Hospital in Strasbourg.
"We are very interested in pioneering the evaluation of Optical Biopsy in Interventional Radiology procedures as the HEGP is a center of excellence in Interventional Oncology and has always been at the forefront of innovation", added Prof. Sapoval, Chairman of the Cardiovascular Radiology department at HEGP.
Both studies will provide quantitative and qualitative results on the feasibility and effectiveness of the device combination. Several additional teams around the world are also evaluating the benefits of Cellvizio in interventional radiology under their own study protocols.
"We are very pleased to initiate the evaluation of our technology in this new specialty in collaboration with Siemens, a recognized leader and expert in the field" commented Sacha Loiseau, CEO of Mauna Kea Technologies.
Cellvizio is currently not approved for interventional radiology applications and is considered experimental in these protocols.