The Velscope
History
Mortality rates associated with oral cancer have remained unchanged for over 30 years, partly due to the limitations of white light examination of the oral mucosa. This has created a dire need for an improved oral mucosal screening procedure that would make it possible for clinicians to accurately identify tissue changes at and below the surface before they become apparent under white light examination.
In response to such a need, the Vancouver-based company LED Medical Diagnostics Inc. (LED-MD) has developed the VELscope System in partnership with the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA). The technology has received over 50 million dollars in NIH and other government grants, as well as public and private equity financing to assist in its development. It is a technology platform based on the direct visualization of human tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that occur when abnormal tissue is present.
VELscope is currently manufactured by LED Dental Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of LED-MD.
Last updated 05/23/2006.