The Kent company behind a machine to help cancer patients is celebrating the first sale of its new scanning system.

Michelson Diagnostics of Orpington has developed VivoSight, a high-resolution imaging technology used in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of cancer, particularly dermal and oral cancer.

The company’s Multi-Beam Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is being promoted at this week’s specialist Medica trade fair in Dusseldorf in a bid to penetrate new markets.

The project has been backed by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).

Jon Holmes, MDL chief executive who founded the business with four colleagues in 2006, said: “We launched VivoSight in August and have recently seen a massive increase in the rate of inquiries, which are now running at around five a week. The signs are that the product is starting to fulfil its global potential. We recently sold our first VivoSight system to a company in Japan, and have appointed a distributor there.”

He added: “UKTI has already given excellent support to our overseas business expansion programme and we will certainly be looking to do more with them in the future.”

MDL is among 300 UK firms in the medical field exhibiting at Medica.

Minister for Trade, Investment and Small Business Lord Davies of Abersoch said: “UK firms are finding solutions to problems that can mean life or death for people around the world. Whether in the fields of heart disease, cancer, diabetes or diagnostics, UK firms have innovative products to help improve life expectancy.”