UC San Diego Health is one of the first health systems in San Diego County to offer a new technology that detects and monitors bladder cancer in both the clinic and operating room settings by using blue light, white light and an imaging dye that makes cancer cells glow florescent pink.
Called Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC) with Cysview, the FDA-approved procedure allows urologists to pinpoint tumors. About an hour prior to the clinic procedure, the imaging dye is placed into the bladder using a catheter. During the cystoscopy, the urologist first looks inside the bladder using white light, then switches to blue light mode. In blue light, cancerous tumors that may not have been picked up by the white light suddenly glow pink, allowing urologists to identify and remove tumors more easily.
UC San Diego Health is one of only 33 locations in the nation able to offer this full continuum of care.
