New Biopsy Tool: NCH first in Florida to use...

NAPLES, Fla. — At first glance, you might think it's a Van Gogh. Vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes.

But it's not.

It's actually a picture of lung tissue, using a new tool, aptly named: The Van Gogh Biopsy tool.

And the Naples Comprehensive Hospital is the first in Florida to get to try out out.

Prostate, breast, colon and lung cancers have the highest mortality rates among all cancers and NCH says lung cancer has been the straggler in technological advancements.

Now that's changing.

When a patient thinks they may have cancer, waiting for a diagnosis can be anxiety inducing.

Dr. David Lindner is a pulmonologist for the hospital system. He is working to give his patients clarity, faster. In the past, he says people would have surgery and it could take days to tell the results of their biopsy.

Now this machine helps speed up the diagnostic process. It assesses which tissue is cancerous or not. It's called Van Gogh because it produces images like this.

"It takes tiny little pictures of your biopsy and all the sudden this biopsy that is literally barely big enough to fit on these tweezers that I have here... is now filling this entire screen," he said.

Lindner says NCH is the first Florida hospital to get this biopsy tool, providing results in as little as two minutes. It also allows pathologists, the individuals who would typically analyze the tissues, to complete other tasks.

"Now the drugs are targeted. The treatment is targeted, and all of this goes into providing precision medicine and targeting the cancer. That’s what’s going to lead to improved survival," Lindner said.