Berkeley Medical Center has new technology to detect lung cancer earlier | WDVM25 & DCW50
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (WDVM) — Berkeley Medical Center has a new technology that will help doctors detect lung cancer earlier and less invasively.
The Ion Endoluminol System called the Ion for short, will now make it easier for doctors to diagnose lung cancer.
“I kind of think of it as GPS for the airways where you’re actually able to identify smaller lesions further out in the peripheral areas of the lung and that allows us to diagnose and then treat earlier,” said David Fillman, system cardiopulmonary sleep/EEG director for WVU Medicine.
The Ion is used to get tissue samples from deep inside the lung during a procedure called a bronchoscopy. The technology can reach all 19 segments of the lung some of which are usually hard to access. It allows the doctor to see and do more, and it’s less invasive for the patient.
“We are able to get better samples to make a diagnosis in a much more timely manner there is less in the way of post-procedure complications,” Fillman said.
Berkeley Medical Center hopes that by using the Ion, they will be able to increase their patients’ 5-year survival rate with earlier cancer detection.
Gloss