New State-of-the-art Digital Colposcopy System at KK Hospital

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Thanks to a new computerized data and image archival system, doctors at KK Hospital can now spend more time with their patients needing colposcopy.

Colposcopy is an important step in screening for cervical cancer as it picks up signs of the disease at pre-cancer stage. However its effectiveness depends heavily on the expertise of the doctor performing the procedure.

MedlScan®, as it is known, allows doctors to capture high-quality photographs and videos of the cervix. It is the first of its kind in Asia.

Image are archived electronically and easily retrieved at a few clicks of the mouse. And unlike hand-drawn sketches, doctors can now mark directly on the images, changes in cervical lesions and areas to be closely monitored, including sites where biopsies are taken.

A useful feature of the system is its ability to track the progress of a patient over time. As images are archived permanently and organised according to clinic visits, doctors can make direct image comparisons to quantify lesion dimensions at each point in time, thus enhancing the level of clinical patient care. This is particularly helpful in training as it allows doctors to track the accuracy in their diagnosis by comparing against the results of biopsies.

Said Dr. Jeffrey Low, Head & Consultant with the Gynaecologic Oncology Unit, "With the system, we are able to automate many processes. This gives our doctors more time to counsel the patients, answer their queries, which help tremendously in allaying their fears."

When a second opinion is needed, it can be done easily via the network without compromising on patient privacy.

Dr Quek Swee Chong, Consultant with the Gynaecologic Oncology Unit, was part of the development team.

"Most women are anxious to know if they have cancer when they are first told of the abnormal Pap smear result.

By being able to see for themselves how the cervix looks like compared with a normal one, we can better assure the women and help them understand that what they have is not cancer. With this assurance, we find they are more likely to return for follow-up treatment," he said.

Currently, KK Hospital does about 4,000 colposcopies a year, and treats around 60 percent of the cervical cancers in Singapore. With the launch of the nation-wide cervical cancer screening in August this year, they KK Gynaecological Cancer Centre from which colposcopy is offered expects to see more women being referred for the diagnostic procedure.

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