Delivering Real Time Tissue Characterization
The HiLight Imaging System brings physicians next-generation optical technology and AI-ML for intraoperative cancer identification.
Missing the Diagnosis in Prostate Cancer Matters
Impact on the Patient
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Delayed diagnosis leads to progression from curable to incurable disease
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Unnecessary repeat biopsies cause pain, anxiety, infection risk, and lost time
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Incomplete surgical resection means additional radiation, hormone therapy, or reoperation
Impact on the Physician
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36% false-negative rate undermines physician confidence in biopsy results
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15–35% positive surgical margins create liability exposure and patient dissatisfaction
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No intraoperative confirmation forces reliance on post-op pathology — results come too late to act
Impact on the Healthcare Ecosystem
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Repeat biopsies consume OR time, imaging slots, and pathology resources - $2,600/pt for each repeat = $1.3B/yr excess costs
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>$0.5B/year in unnecessary downstream costs from missed or incomplete resections
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Rising cancer recurrence rates drive payer pushback and scrutiny on surgical quality metrics
What AetherScan Delivers
HiLight Surgical is developing the AetherScan Universal Console — a real-time tissue characterization platform that uses Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm) + AI/ML to identify cancerous tissue during surgery and biopsy.
Real-Time Tissue ID
Identifies cancerous vs. healthy tissue in <20 ms — before the surgeon's next move. No waiting for pathology or frozen section.
Visual Probability Map
30 frames per second (fps) like a color TV overlay shows cancer likelihood across the surgical field. The surgeon sees what the eye cannot.
Confidence at the Margin
During resection, confirms whether the cut line is in healthy tissue — reducing positive margins and the need for re-excision.
No Workflow Disruption
Label-free, probe-based, bright-OR compatible. The physician controls the probe — no dyes, no darkened room, no extra staff.
