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Colonoscopy is the preferred procedure for the detection, biopsy and removal of neoplastic lesions of the colon. It is
estimated that about 14 million colonoscopies will have been performed in the US in 2014. The number of patients
undergoing colonoscopy worldwide is also increasing, however, the procedure is far from perfect and recent studies have
questioned its impact on colon cancer prevention, particularly in the proximal colon. Whereas standard endoscopes are
designed to provide a view of a cylindrical lumen, the colon is not a simple hollow tube, but a tortuous organ with many
folds that can prevent polyps from being seen. Poor color contrast of some flat lesions also make detection more
difficult. A number of techniques have been developed to increase the surface area of the colon viewed, from
accessories that can be used with existing colonoscopes to new endoscopy systems. Methods to improve lesion contrast
are also being developed. The ideal device should not only maximize the surface of the colon viewed and improve
lesion contrast to aid detection, but should do so inexpensively and without increasing the complexity and duration of the
procedure. Healthcare reform will soon require endoscopists to report the quality of their procedures, as measured by
individual rates of adenoma detection. Therefor the need to develop new devices that improve lesion detection is
profound, but for any product to be clinically assimilated, it needs to be easy to use and affordable.
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