An ''intelligent'' knife that can sniff out tumours during cancer surgery has been developed by scientists in London.
Science Translational Medicine reported on Wednesday the iKnife diagnosed tissue samples from 91 patients with 100% accuracy.
The device, built by researchers at the Imperial College, uses heat to cut through tissue. The team hopes it can be used one day to overcome dangerous bits of tumour being left to regrow in a patient, a common problem, Reuters reports.
Inventor Zoltan Takats said sometimes those parts of a tumour can go noticed.
The iKnife has to undergo more trials, but he said could be introduced to operating theatres within three years.
He aims to test it in such a study, involving between 1000 to 1500 patients with various types of cancers.
Mr Takats has founded a company in Budapest called MediMass to develop the product
