The Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology (ICPO) in Noida has developed a low-cost device to diagnose cancer among patients.
The device, digital AV Magnivisualizer, has been prepared and the Institute is planning to file patent for it. The device is cost-effective and can be procured for Rs 12,000. Once the patent is filed, the institute will sell the device to different stakeholders like medial colleges, NGOs working on health and hygiene and also to the primary health centres in rural areas to diagnose cancer among patients. According to the institute, the AV Magnivisualizer will help in detecting high grade pre-cancerous and early cancerous lesion of cervix and would enable the physicians to treat the lesion in the same sitting without any potential loss to follow up of patients. The device has a white light source with interchangeable magnification and it can be operated on a battery and is portable. Doctors said that Magnivisualizer could pick up 1.5 times more cervical and oral lesions than the ordinary tungsten light.
The digital Magnivisualizer can also capture images, and then the same images can be transmitted to the concerned doctor or oncologist for examination which will facilitate medical care to the people in rural areas. Currently good hospitals have devices for diagnosis of cancers but they are very costly and immovable. It is low-cost and suitable device especially for use in rural areas where electric supply is erratic.