Reston Hospital First in Northern Virginia to Offer Innovative Procedure to Improve Detection of Certain Bladder Cancers

Reston, VA (Sep. 11, 2019) – Reston Hospital Center has performed its first blue light cystoscopy procedure – a new technology used to detect non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

This makes Reston Hospital Center the first in Northern Virginia to offer this procedure, which uses a blue light to examine the interior of the bladder with hexaminolevulinate HCl, an optical imaging agent that makes cancer cells glow bright fluorescent pink under the light, allowing doctors to more easily identify and remove tumors.

“Bladder cancer can be challenging to detect and has a high rate of recurrence. An inaccurate diagnosis can result in incomplete treatment, which may necessitate much more aggressive treatments,” said Dr. Gary Fialk, urologist at Reston Hospital Center, who performed the hospital’s first procedure. “Blue light cystoscopy represents an important advancement in diagnostic technology and for Urology services at Reston.”

According to the American Cancer Society, bladder cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States with approximately 82,000 new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed each year. Up to 50 percent of patients will have their bladder cancer recur, making it the highest recurrence rate of any form of cancer.

Cystoscopy, a procedure that uses a scope to look through the urethra and into the bladder, has long been the gold standard for detecting suspicious lesions in the bladder. Previous technology only used a white light to illuminate bladder cancer lesions, which are difficult to see and can be missed. The new technology allows doctors to use white light and then switch to blue light mode.

“The availability of blue light cystoscopy reflects our commitment to offering the latest advancements in patient care in the region,” said John Deardorff, President and CEO of Reston Hospital Center and HCA's Northern Virginia market. “At Reston Hospital Center patients with known or suspected bladder cancer can now undergo diagnostic procedures performed by physicians who have been specially trained in the use of this innovative technology.”

Blue light cystoscopy represents the latest technology to be added to Reston Hospital Center’s innovative oncology services and comprehensive cancer care where customized care plans are tailored to each patient’s unique needs, leading to the best possible outcomes.