It's been called a next-generation weapon in the war on cancer, and an Osceola County doctor is the first in the state to be using it.
It's called DySIS — it's a colposcope used to take a closer look at the cervix and searches for cancerous and pre-cancerous spots.
Dr. Sara DeNardis debuted the computerized diagnostic tool a few months ago at Kissimmee Women's Health, which is located along Neptune Road in Kissimmee. The practice is the first in Florida to use DySIS.
"I think they saw the volume of patients that we see, and having the aspect of GYN oncology, as well as general gynecologists, it was a good fit," DeNardis said.
The high-tech screening device, DeNardis said, helps her in making biopsy decisions so she can develop a more accurate plan of care for her patients. She also said the machine allows her to see things she might have missed before.
"It really is helpful in terms of giving you a map of the cervix," DeNardis said. "We're looking for abnormal areas or why you would have an abnormal pap smear. And so, the DySIS actually incorporates a computerized mapping system with that."
With the new computer system, DeNardis is able to show patients in real-time what she's seeing: a high-resolution, digital image on her touchscreen. DeNardis can record video of the cervix and whitening process, which indicates presence of abnormal cells. Instead of taking a still shot or drawing a picture, DeNardis can visualize things in a new way.
"I think that's really exciting," DeNardis said. "It's great documentation for my charting and it's really helpful to look back and say, 'Looks the same, looks worse, looks better.' So, I think that’s a big advancement."
And advancements in early detection lead to reducing rates of cervical cancer.
"It's very gratifying to be helping women of all ages, so this is just one more aspect of that process," DeNardis said.