WYOMING, MI -- Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, as a part of the Cancer Network of West Michigan, is pioneering the use of robotic technology to diagnose lung cancer earlier.
The Grand Rapids-area health system’s use of the West Michigan’s first Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy tool will help diagnose lung cancer at the earliest, hardest-to-reach stages, according to news release Wednesday announcing the technology.
Health officials expect this new tool to improve hope for survival from lung cancer, the No. 1 cause of cancer death.
“Historically, most lung cancer diagnoses were late," said Dr. Mounir Ghali, director of Interventional Pulmonology at Metro Health. “When we are able to detect, diagnose and treat sooner, we can help a patient outlive the cancer.”
Ghali is equipped, since Sept. 21, with the world’s most advanced tool for fast, safe and accurate diagnosis, according to Dr. Peter Hahn, president and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
The Ion robotic bronchoscopy complements the work of Metro Health’s Lung Cancer Screening Clinic, which conducts scans on high-risk patients to discover potential problems. If a scan reveals nodules, a biopsy is required for diagnosis.
Early stage cancers typically are very small and located in hard-to-reach parts of the lung. The robot’s shape-sensing technology allows Ghali to precisely guide a thin catheter through the patient’s mouth into the airway tree, and safely perform a biopsy – even in the smallest and most remote regions of the lung.
The procedure takes an hour or less and patients go home after recovering from anesthesia then can return to work the next day, health officials said in the news release.
“The Ion system offers significant advantages to previous bronchoscopy technology,” said Hahn, who also is a pulmonologist. “This exemplifies our constant efforts to improve options for patients facing the possibility of lung cancer."
The Ion robotic bronchoscopy is used with cone beam CT technology to generate a three-dimensional road map to the target area. The computer acts as a GPS while a vision probe allows real-time viewing inside a patient’s airway while the physician guides a catheter along the path.
The catheter’s narrow 3.5-millimeter diameter allows it to safely maneuver tight corners, reaching all segments of the lung. The tool also is compatible with existing medical equipment, including scanning devices that support real-time navigation. Once the target is reached, a needle inside the catheter collects the biopsy.
“The life-saving potential of the Ion robot illustrates ... lung screenings are essential to our overall strategy for improving cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Terrance Barnes, who conducts the screenings for Metro Health. “Studies show lung screenings help reduce cancer deaths, especially when combined with smoking-cessation programs.”
Doctors and researchers agree that quitting smoking is the most important step to preventing lung cancer. Lung-screening information is available on Metro Health’s website for patients with questions about their risk factors.
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