Whether assisting medical teams in diagnosing cervical cancer or helping prosecutors capture evidence of sexual abuse, the colposcope has been an invaluable tool for decades. However, the instrument is not without its drawbacks. Traditional optical colposcopes feature antiquated eye pieces that require time to refocus and have also been linked to musculoskeletal and ocular strain for the examiner. For patients, the instrument can be invasive and intimidating. The use of handheld cameras for digital images is equally problematic, as they can cause retraumatization for victims who were forced to participate in the creation of sexually explicit materials.
Already, many hospitals, clinics, medical universities, and assault advocacy programs across the country have made the switch to digital colposcope systems such as the Lutech LT-300 series. Here are five key reasons why you should upgrade from an optical to a digital colposcope.
1. It Provides the Best Pictures of Your Patient.
Like its traditional, analog counterpart, a digital colposcope is specifically designed for internal vaginal exams and allows the examiner to detect microtrauma that goes unseen when using a digital camera or cell phone. Unlike optical scopes, however, digital colposcopes provide a clearer image and can be used for both internal and external exams. Lutech’s LT-300 HD, for example, incorporates Sony’s top-of-the-line, medical grade camera and lens and can magnify up to 30x with optical zoom, keeping the integrity of the image. So, instead of grainy, digitally magnified photos, you will see microtrauma in high definition that is easy to identify. It has a rear-viewing mini-LCD screen, which replaces the need for eye pieces, thereby reducing ocular strain as well as fatigue to the neck, back and shoulders, which comes from the need to bend over an ocular eye piece. It can also be connected to a computer monitor for a large viewing experience.
2. A Digital Colposcope is Easy to Move and Store.
Optical colposcopes can be large, bulky, and difficult to find a place for when they are not in use. Digital colposcopes are light, portable, and made to move. Lutech’s LT-300 series offers two stand options, both of which have castor wheels that allow the colposcope to transfer from room to room and can lock in place with ease. The colposcope is attached to a ball joint for 360-degree positioning, with a swing arm option that allows you to place the colposcope close to the patient and offers a wide variety of positioning options.
3. It Allows for a Streamlined Workflow.
There are multiple ways a digital colposcope can help you streamline your workflow. The superior image quality, for example, all but eliminates the need to bring patients back for repeat visits. However, one of its greatest advantages is that it saves all images captured to your network or right on your desktop, saving you the additional steps of using an SD card or a cloud-based system. And with a Lutech LT-300 colposcope, when the exam is over, you can move the images right to your facility’s EMR systems and into a patient’s file, simply and securely.
4. It Features Intuitive Functionality.
With an optical colposcope (or camera equipment) both hands are occupied during an exam in order to maneuver and focus properly. The Lutech LT-300 series allows the user to zoom in and out with a touch of a button on a remote. Auto focus handles the image clarity for the user and green filters are applied just as easily. The remote prevents motion transfer during the exam, contributing to a faster process and more stable environment. The LT-300 series also includes foot pedal operations that allow you to capture images with ease and start or stop videos with the tap of your foot. Our colposcopes are designed to make one-person exams simpler to perform. And it’s always ready to go, whenever you are.
5. It’s Affordable.
Traditionally, optical colposcopes were very expensive, costing upwards of $15,000. But digital colposcopes are markedly more affordable, while providing a more ergonomic experience as well as the highest standard of documentation possible. At Lutech, we offer multiple options for customization, which allows you to tailor the colposcope to meet your program’s medical and budgetary needs.
To learn more about Lutech’s LT-300 series, please email us at: sales@lutechmedical.com or call 631.676-7432.
