With the objective to accelerate cancer detection and care for residents in the greater Rockford area, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center now has access to leading-edge technology, allowing medical providers to scan a person’s lungs and get a biopsy on the same day.
The Intuitive ION robotic system is a minimally invasive way for providers to biopsy a patient’s lungs and get answers more efficiently. The goal of the Ion technology is primarily to diagnose lung cancer early. However, it also gives patients with noncancerous lung nodules peace of mind.
"Robotic bronchoscopy allows us to biopsy very small nodules (dense areas of tissue, or spots)," said Amith Jacob, MD, a pulmonologist with OSF Saint Anthony. “We can biopsy lung nodules that were not able to be biopsied before due to their small size or their difficult locations to reach.”
The ion technology and lung nodule clinic benefits patients by diagnosing lung cancer at a very early stage which leads to better outcomes for surgery or radiation cure.
“We are able to find lung nodules when they are small and diagnose quickly if they are cancerous or noncancerous,” said Dr. Jacob. “We are saving lives through early detection and monitoring.”
If a person has a history of smoking or a family history of lung cancer, Dr. Jacob says it’s important to get screened.
To learn more about our program, visit OSF HealthCare.
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