MIB · Project

Optical Endoscope System That Detects Bladder Cancer Without Cutting Tissue

healthTestedTRL 5

mib-h2020.eu

Imagine going to the doctor for a bladder check and instead of cutting out a piece of tissue and waiting days for lab results, the doctor uses a special camera that shines different types of light inside your bladder and instantly tells whether something is cancerous. That's what MIB built — a combined optical imaging system that fits inside an endoscope and reads the tissue's structure, chemistry, and blood supply all at once. It's like giving doctors X-ray vision during a routine procedure, so they can diagnose cancer on the spot without a biopsy. The goal is to catch cancer earlier, reduce repeat procedures, and save the EU an estimated 360 million euros in healthcare costs.

By the numbers

360M€

Projected EU healthcare cost savings from reduced bladder cancer follow-up

10%

Expected reduction in recurrence and follow-up procedures

Consortium partners

Countries involved (AT, DE, DK, UK)

SMEs in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Bladder cancer is one of the most expensive cancers to manage because current diagnosis requires tissue biopsy with lab processing time, and recurrence rates are high — leading to repeated costly procedures. Hospitals and insurers bear enormous follow-up costs, while patients endure repeated invasive interventions. There is no widely available tool that can diagnose bladder cancer in real time during a standard endoscopy procedure.

The solution

What was built

MIB developed a multi-modal endoscopic imaging platform that combines four optical techniques — optical coherence tomography, opto-acoustic tomography, Raman spectroscopy, and multiphoton microscopy — into a single device for real-time, in vivo bladder cancer diagnosis. This included new light sources, high-speed imaging systems, and unique imaging fibre bundles designed for clinical endoscopic use.

Audience

Who needs this

Endoscope and medical imaging device manufacturersHospital urology departments with high cystoscopy volumesHealth insurance companies looking to reduce bladder cancer treatment costsPhotonics and laser component suppliers targeting medical marketsMedical technology distributors serving European hospital networks

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical device manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Endoscope and surgical optics manufacturers

If you are a medical device company building endoscopes or surgical imaging systems — MIB developed a multi-modal optical platform combining four imaging techniques (OCT, opto-acoustic tomography, Raman spectroscopy, and multiphoton microscopy) into a single endoscopic device. This could let you offer a next-generation bladder diagnostic tool that eliminates the need for tissue biopsy, reduces patient follow-up visits by 10%, and opens a market where EU healthcare savings alone are projected at 360M€.

Hospital and urology clinic networks

enterprise

Target: Hospital groups and urology departments

If you run a urology department dealing with high bladder cancer recurrence rates and expensive repeat cystoscopies — MIB's point-of-care diagnostic system was designed to give you real-time cancer detection during endoscopy. This means fewer unnecessary biopsies, faster treatment decisions, and a projected 10% reduction in recurrence-related follow-up procedures, directly cutting your per-patient costs.

Specialty optical components

SME

Target: Manufacturers of laser sources, imaging fibre bundles, and photonic components

If you are an optics or photonics company producing laser sources, fibre bundles, or high-speed imaging systems — MIB developed new light sources and unique imaging fibre bundles specifically for endoscopic clinical use. Licensing or co-developing these components could position you in the growing medical photonics market, with 3 SMEs in the MIB consortium already commercializing parts of this platform across 4 EU countries.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt or license this imaging technology?

The project data does not include specific pricing or licensing terms. The consortium includes 3 SMEs focused on commercializing components of the platform (light sources, fibre bundles, endoscopes), so licensing discussions would likely go through these industrial partners. Contact the coordinator for current commercialization status.

Can this work at industrial scale in a hospital setting?

The system was designed specifically for clinical point-of-care use inside an endoscope, meaning it was built to operate in real hospital environments during standard cystoscopy procedures. The consortium included clinical end-users who validated the approach. Based on available project data, the transition from research prototype to a certified medical device would still require regulatory clearance.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

The consortium of 12 partners across 4 countries (AT, DE, DK, UK) likely generated shared IP across optical components, imaging algorithms, and endoscope design. With 4 industry partners and 3 SMEs involved, some IP may already be moving toward commercial licensing. Specific patent details are not available in the project dataset.

What regulatory approvals would be needed?

As a medical diagnostic device for in vivo use, this would require CE marking under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and FDA clearance for the US market. The project focused on demonstrating clinical feasibility; regulatory certification would be the next step toward market deployment.

How long until this could be used in a real clinical workflow?

The project ran from 2016 to 2021, a full 6-year research and innovation cycle. Based on available project data, the technology reached the validation stage with clinical end-users. Moving to a market-ready certified device typically requires an additional 3-5 years for regulatory approval and manufacturing scale-up.

Does this replace existing cystoscopy equipment or integrate with it?

MIB was designed as an endoscopic platform, meaning it works within the existing cystoscopy workflow rather than replacing it entirely. The multi-modal imaging adds diagnostic capability on top of standard endoscopy. Integration with current hospital infrastructure was a stated design goal.

Consortium

Who built it

The MIB consortium is well-balanced for a medical technology project: 12 partners across 4 countries (Austria, Germany, Denmark, UK), with 4 industry players (including 3 SMEs) alongside 3 universities and 4 research organizations. The 33% industry ratio and presence of SMEs focused on medical device commercialization signal a genuine path to market, not just academic research. Led by Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, one of Europe's top technical universities, the project combined photonics expertise with clinical validation partners. For a business looking to license or co-develop, the SME partners are the most likely entry points for commercial discussions.

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETCoordinator · DK
GRINTECH GMBHparticipant · DE
MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIENparticipant · AT
LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUER PHOTONISCHE TECHNOLOGIEN E.V.participant · DE
REGION HOVEDSTADENparticipant · DK
HELMHOLTZ ZENTRUM MUENCHEN DEUTSCHES FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM FUER GESUNDHEIT UND UMWELT GMBHparticipant · DE
FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EVparticipant · DE
M-SQUARED LASERS LIMITEDparticipant · UK
ALBERT-LUDWIGS-UNIVERSITAET FREIBURGparticipant · DE
2M ENGINEERING LIMITEDparticipant · UK
FERDINAND-BRAUN-INSTITUT GGMBH LEIBNIZ- INSTITUT FUR HOCHSTFREQUENZTECHNIKparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU), Denmark — contact through university technology transfer office or via SciTransfer for a warm introduction

Order a report on this consortium See DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing MIB's optical diagnostic platform or connecting with the consortium's SME partners? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and provide a detailed technology brief.

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