Western Baptist offers HDTV for colonoscopies, endoscopies

High-definition television (HDTV) is making its way from the living room to the hospital to improve digestive tract diagnostics.  

Western Baptist is the first hospital in the region to introduce the endoscopic technology to help doctors diagnose diseases in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.

Compared to conventional systems, the high-definition endoscopy provides doctors with sharper images and better contrast, which in turn may help them to better detect lesions.

As a result, patients may receive more accurate diagnoses. The new system can also shorten procedure times for patients.

The technology is available for the upper and lower digestive systems, which includes the esophagus, stomach and small and large intestines.

“I am excited about it,” said gastroenterologist Rick McCombs, M.D. “It’s a big leap. I think it’s going to help patients by increasing the ability to detect small lesions and enhance the quality of exams. As a doctor, it will be a tool that will help me take better care of my patients.”

The HDTV signal is designed to produce 1,080 lines of resolution, more than twice the number of scan lines used by conventional systems, offering doctors images of the colon with a high level of detail and color. 

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women combined in the U.S. The mortality rate in Kentucky is among the highest, killing nearly 900 people each year. Nine out of 10 colon cancers may be prevented or cured if detected early.