2008 WDH Acquires new technology to detect lung cancer earlier
WDH Acquires New Technology to Detect Lung Cancer Earlier
People with hard to reach lung lesions may be able to receive a diagnosis sooner at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, thanks to a new advanced navigation technology.
The technology, called the inReach™ System, by superDimension, provides electromagnetic navigation and guidance to distant regions of the lungs in a minimally-invasive manner, enabling physicians to locate, test and plan treatment for lung lesions and lymph nodes that are difficult to access with traditional bronchoscopy.
“We now offer our patients technology that extends the reach of a standard bronchoscope and adds to the proficiency of the Endobronchial Ultrasound,” said Shubhra Ray, MD, FCCP.
Similar to Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, the inReach™ System provides a three-dimensional virtual “roadmap” of the lungs, generated from CT images. Once the patient’s lungs have been mapped, physicians use inReach™ guiding catheters with standard bronchoscopes to reach the targeted lesion. This is done as an outpatient procedure and patients are able to return home within a couple of hours.
“Because the system is minimally-invasive, it enables us to better diagnose patients whose medical conditions would not allow us to perform higher-risk surgical procedures” said Dr. Ray.
Currently, patients experiencing symptoms of lung disease or those who have suspected lesions can be examined and treated with standard bronchoscopes, needle aspiration or surgery. By providing electromagnetic navigation, the inReach™ System increases the chances that a patient will safely get a diagnosis and begin treatment. And, not only does inReach™ allow access to lesions that the bronchoscope cannot reach, it also enables cancer staging in the lymph nodes. In patients who are candidates for radiation, this system is used to place radiosurgical markers to accurately target radiation to only the affected area and to spare normal tissue.
