GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.— Going to the vet can be a scary experience for a dog and a nerve-wracking one for the owner. However, dogs like Breck are getting some relief with a new technology that makes cancer screenings less invasive.
“We recently found some lumps. One being on his back,” said Shannon Ofano, Breck's owner.
Ofano brought Breck to Advanced Veterinary Care of Greenwood Village to get checked out. That’s where Dr. Peter Converse and HT Vista come in.
“It is a technology that is using heat as a temperature sensor, and it is penetrating the skin and then making the determination as to whether that tumor appears to be benign or suspicious for being cancerous,” said Converse.
Before HT Vista, Converse says he would have to perform a biopsy to determine if a tumor was benign or cancerous. These procedures can be uncomfortable for the patient, more costly and time consuming, according to the veterinarian.
The HT Vista device is placed right on the animal's tumor.
“So, the scan has started. Blue light is on, so the heat is being admitted into the tissue for 10 seconds,” said Converse.
Within a matter of minutes, the results of the scan came back.
“That came back as a 10. Mass appears to be benign,” said Converse.
Results between one and four give reason to believe the mass is not benign, while results between five and 10 mean the mass is benign.
“The confidence level of a negative result being a true negative is 98 percent. In medicine, that is as good as it gets,” said Converse.
If there is suspicion a tumor could be cancerous, the next step is a biopsy.
As for Breck, he won’t be needing any extra testing since his results came back benign.
“This is the first time we’re able to do something that doesn’t involve a needle,” said Ofano.
This new technology is putting Ofano at ease for future vet visits.
“It’s nice to know that when we come in for our well visits, or even a vaccination appointment, if we have noticed any changes or just want an update, we can ask for this to be done,” said Ofano.
Two vet clinics in Colorado are using this new technology. Companion Animal Health, which created HT Vista, says the product has been out for a few months, and dozens of vet clinics across the country are already using it.
