The VELscope is a device which is used as an adjunct to the comprehensive oral examination, aiding abnormalities, including infections, trauma, oral cancer and precancerous dysplasia. It is an oral cancer screening device which works in the principle of fluorescence.
It mainly consists of two components:
- LED Ring - it emits a specific wavelength of blue light
2)Eye Piece - it is with an optical filter
Indications:
- to identify carcinomatous & dysplastic changes which cannot be seen by naked eye
- to diagnose a diseased part around the lesion.
Contraindications
- patients with history of photosensitivity & the ones who are taking medications for the same.
Advantages
- early detection of oral cancer
- rapid, handy, painless & noninvasive
- allows photo documentation of every case
- can be used in very early detection of abnormal cells which are otherwise not visible with the naked eye
- high accuracy rate
- useful in day to day practice
- no chemical dyes required
Disadvantages
- it cannot confirm the final diagnosis of the lesion as cancer and hence, used as an adjunctive tool
- effective only for intraoral lesions
- chances of false positive results