'Intelligent' Surgical Knife Can Detect Cancerous Cells

Researchers may have actually found an "intelligent" surgical knife that can detect cancerous cells as the blade cuts tissue.

According to researchers at London's Imperial College, this would allow doctors to cut back on additional operations in order to remove further pieces of cancerious tumors.

Known as the "iKnife," this medical device works by sampling the smoke given off as a tissue is cut through using an electric current to see if it is cancerous.

Researchers first used the iKnife on diagnosed tissue samples from 91 patients. According to the study authors, 100 percent accuracy was displayed by the tool.

Following a surgery or laboratory procedure, removed tissue is usually sent to a laboratory to be tested for health problems. The researchers believe that with the use of this medical device, cancerous cells could be spotted within just a few seconds.

More specifically, researchers confirm that the device works its magic by analyzing biological information given off from burning tissue. It then compares the findings to a database of biological fingerprints from tumors and health tissue.

"It's a really exciting innovation and a very promising technique for all types of surgery," said Emma King, a head and neck surgeon at Southampton Hospital, England, who was not involved in the research, via Yahoo News.

The inventors of the device, Zoltan Takats of Imperial College, are hoping to test the product between 1,000 and 1,500 patients with various types of cancers.

More information regarding the study and the product can be found in the journal Science Translational Medicine.