Robot increases accuracy of lung cancer detection at Roper St. Francis

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Officials say Roper St. Francis has increased their accuracy of identifying early stages of lung cancer by 30% within the last year.

This is possible through technology called Ion Endoluminal System, which is a robot-assisted device that identifies small lesions to biopsy lung nodules in all 18 sections of the lungs.

Dr. Michael Spandorfer, medical director Interventional Pulmonology and Bronchoscopy at Roper St. Francis, calls Ion technology groundbreaking for lung cancer research.

He says the Ion Endoluminal System is able to merge the true anatomy of the CT scan to make a virtual pathway to the 18 sections of the lungs. Before this device, he says doctors would have to use x-rays that could be a hit or miss when trying to find the exact location of a legion. Now, doctors can make precise turns successfully when trying to biopsy a potentially cancerous legion.

Spandorfer says the operation could take 45 minutes to an hour and a half and while the patient is asleep, a pathologist comes in and samples the legion in real time. Its accuracy for identifying early stages of lung cancer rose from 60% to 90% since they started using it a year ago.

Similar to this, the Massachusetts General Hospital has adopted an artificial intelligence tool, known as Sybil, that could boost this accuracy even higher.

Spandorfer was asked if this technology could be coming to Roper St. Francis.

“We’re always looking at new and innovative platforms to help diagnose and treat patients and so, we plan to be on the cutting edge,” Spandorder said. “And so, when the AI technology comes down and is approved by the FDA as an appropriate mechanism to evaluate treatment in patients, we will be early adopters.”

There’s no timeline for when the AI technology will make its way to the Lowcountry, but for more information on Ion scans, click here.