Objective: To perform an initial assessment of the potential of using the gas discharge visualization (GDV) technique to identify patients with colon neoplasias.
Methods: The GDV camera (also known as the electrophotonic imaging camera) was used to assess the participants. Colonoscopy was performed on all 78 participants, followed by a GDV scan. The control group consisted of 22 people. An endoscopic examination identified colon tumors in the remaining 56 participants. Participant ages ranged from 45 to 86 years (mean, 64.6 ± 1.2 years). The study analyzed GDV images of each patient's fingers, presenting a whole-body view, as well as separate sectors corresponding to the organs in question.
Results: There was a significant number of differences between the control group and the patients with colon tumors. The dynamic of the parameters was examined as the level of tumor dysplasia (neoplasia) varied. The values of the following parameters decreased in the control group as compared to the patients with cancerous polyps: normalized luminescence area, internal noise, contour radius, and average luminescence intensity. The values of the following parameters increased in the control group: radius of the inscribed circle, contour line length, area of luminescence, contour line fractality, contour line entropy, and form coefficients.
Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated a statistical difference between the GDV parameters of patients with colon tumors and the control group. These findings warrant a more in-depth study of the potential for GDV technique in screening programs.