Scotland is the first country in the world to implement the use of Cytosponge™ across all mainland NHS Boards in a national screening programme.

The innovative ‘sponge on a string’ device, which has been piloted in number of areas including NHS Forth Valley, is non-aerosol generating, non-invasive and does not require sedation. In just 10 minutes, Barrett’s Oesophagus patients can be screened for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) or its pre-curser dysplasia. It has been fast tracked into clinical practice across the country to help reduce risks during the Covid-19 pandemic.