“The team, led by engineers from the University of Leeds, say this is the first time it has been possible to generate high-resolution three-dimensional ultrasound images taken from a probe deep inside the gastrointestinal tract, or gut. It paves the way to a transformation of the diagnosis and treatment of several forms of cancer by enabling ‘virtual biopsies’ — non-invasive scans that provide immediate diagnostic data, allowing doctors to detect, stage, and potentially treat lesions in a single procedure: eliminating the need for physical biopsies.”
Very interestingly, the big innovation seems to be around changing the shape (the oloid shape) so that the device can manoeuvre far better.
The important outcomes of all of this is that immediate results can be obtained for determining colorectal cancer, and the process may be more comfortable for patients.
See https://www.leeds.ac.uk/main-index/news/article/5757/mini-rolling-robot-takes-virtual-biopsies