STAR WARS TECHNOLOGY ASSISTS MCG PATHOLOGISTS IN LOCATING CANCER CELLS

Augusta, Ga. -- A new cellular-imaging system based on technology developed by NASA as part of the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative, better known as Star Wars, is assisting pathologists at MCG Health System in locating cancer cells.

The ChromaVision Automated Cellular Imaging System uses technology originally developed to distinguish active warheads from decoys. The MCG Department of Pathology is the first in the region to use this system to detect, count and classify abnormal cells based on color, size and shape.

"The ChromaVision system certainly enhances the role of the pathologist in diagnosing cancers," said Dr. Richard Hessler, an MCG pathologist. "Our interpretation, combined with the comprehensive data this system provides, allows us to more accurately pinpoint and detect cancer cells. This in turn assists our oncologists in providing the best treatment tailored to each person's needs."

Traditionally, pathologists have used a microscope to assist them in identifying colors produced by chemical stains applied to cells or tissue samples. The appearance of the cells and the intensity of the color determine if a cell is normal or abnormal. Such precise information can be very difficult and time-consuming to obtain.

The ChromaVision system, however, can automatically scan and analyze up to 50 slides overnight. It rapidly and accurately measures the amount and intensity of color produced, while a camera captures digital images of each cell and presents suspicious cells to pathologists for review.

This new technology can locate a single tumor cell among 10 million normal cells and track numbers of cancer cells to determine if the disease is proliferating. It can also measure the quantities of certain proteins expressed by cells, important in determining the efficacy of cancer drugs and a patient's prognosis. Pathologists can then provide oncologists with a comprehensive report that will assist in their clinical decision-making.

The system is being primarily used to detect breast cancers, but also has applications for gastrointestinal tumors, which have a well-recognized set of tumor markers.

"Clinically, the ChromaVision system allows for quick and accurate information on specific tumor markers, which helps us to identify those patients who would benefit from more aggressive treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation," said Dr. Daniel Albo, a surgical oncologist at MCG Health System who has utilized the new system. "From a research standpoint, the system allows us to look for other tumor markers that can be studied in a laboratory context, leading to improved detection and treatment of cancer."

MCG Health System is composed of MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Hospitals and Clinics, Children's Medical Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by offering the highest level of primary and specialty health care. For more information, please visit MCGHealth.org.