Advances in imaging and interventional endoscopy are improving cancer detection and enabling less invasive approaches to diagnose and treat disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. These emerging procedures are poised to fuel growth in the $7 billion global market for GI endoscopy.

One bright spot emerging in this otherwise lackluster economy is the market for optical imaging technologies. Optical imaging encompasses a wide array of current and emerging techniques that use light as the primary imaging modality to characterize local anatomy down to cellular and molecular levels.

Over the past 20 years, the diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma - the most common form of esophageal cancer - has doubled in the US and now stands at roughly 16,500 new cases each year. This dramatic increase is believed to be related to an increased incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obesity. Physicians agree that to slow the increase in this deadly cancer, detection at its earliest stages is critical. Unfortunately, the standard tools available to do this are less than ideal. NinePoint Medical has developed technology designed to detect precursors to esophageal cancer in real time, in vivo, using near-infrared light and complex computing algorithms.