Cystoscopy with White Light

The conventional method of detecting bladder cancer uses white light during minimally invasive surgery to illuminate the bladder during a procedure called a cystoscopy. White light has been used for decades and is the standard for more than 90% of the market. In typical white light cystoscopy, a small camera is mounted at the end of the cystoscope. This enters the body through the urethra into the bladder and projects images onto a surgical monitor. The procedure easily visualizes tumors that protrude above the bladder wall for evaluation and possible removal. However, when a tumor lies flat against the bladder wall, it is difficult to identify the margins and differentiate from normal tissue. This increases the risk of cancerous cells being left behind, contributing to bladder cancer’s more than 50% recurrence rate