TRUSCREEN

 

Unlike cytology, TruScreen® does not only examine surface epithelial cells. Light at specific frequencies is transmitted through cervical tissue identifying changes in the basal and stromal layers. This includes increases in blood circulation and variations in blood vessels that occur with pre-cancerous change.

 

The TruScreen® system also assesses the electrical properties and response of the tissue. The electrical measurements are stimulated by the delivery of a very small impulse (about one volt) in millisecond pulse sequences that repeat 14 times per second. The decay response curve will vary according to the capacitance of the tissue – a measurement of the ability of the tissue to either hold or dissipate a charge. Different tissue types and the properties of the tissue have different capacitance.

The console has a microcomputer to calculate these tissue differences, and the results are compared to an integrated database of 2,000 patients from wide geographic and ethnic backgrounds with differing histological diagnoses. A sophisticated algorithm framework has been developed to distinguish between normal and abnormal (cancerous and precancerous) tissue.

A single use sensor with precision lens and electrodes are used to interface with the cervix and protect against cross-infection. A simple series of lights (similar to traffic lights) guides the operator to place the probe on new spots across the cervix