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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and worldwide. But the disease can be halted with early diagnosis. PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Wash., is aiming to catch cancer earlier through the use of Intuitive Ion™ Robotic Bronchoscopy technology. 

This robotic-assisted platform for minimally invasive lung biopsies lets doctors navigate and biopsy hard-to-reach lung areas and offers a more accurate and less intrusive  alternative to traditional diagnostic methods. The Ion system uses shape-sensing technology and 3D imaging to guide a flexible scope through the patient's throat into the lungs, capturing images of abnormal growths called nodules and collecting tissue samples. 

“More than 70 percent of all lung cancer nodules are located in the outer one-third of the lung, an area full of tight spaces and narrow airways that may be hard to reach,” said Omar Jaffer, M.D., a pulmonary specialist at PeaceHealth St. Joseph. “With the Ion, we can get to almost any location in the lung safely.”

One of only 11 hospitals in Washington state that uses Ion technology, PeaceHealth St. Joseph leverages innovative technology in lung surgery using its da Vinci Xi™ Surgical Robotic System, further enhancing treatment outcomes.