WATS

Overview

WATS is an advanced endoscopy with a 3-D image used to find unhealthy cells Heartburn, or acid reflux (GERD) is very common. About 30 million Americans develop chronic acid reflux. Of those, 10-20% will develop Barrett’s Esophagus. Then a small percentage of Barrett’s may turn into esophageal cancer. Early diagnosis is your best defense against esophageal cancer.

This procedure can help your doctor to detect pre-cancerous cells and remove them long before they can turn into esophageal cancer.

During an EGD, your doctor will collect tissue which is examined for unhealthy cells. In the past, this examination has been done in a random manner. WATS can assist physicians to examine the tissue more thoroughly. WATS covers a broader area and more condensed search.

WATS is a more accurate diagnosis. Standard biopsy uses thin layers with a manual microscopy. WATS is able to virtually see the whole sample of 100 optical slices into a single 3D image.