Grace Jacobson / News Director

CentraCare is changing the future of lung cancer care with a robot.

CentraCare says its new robot-assisted bronchoscopy can detect lung cancer earlier with better accuracy and is a less-invasive lung biopsy.

The Ion Endoluminal System allows physicians to further reach into the peripheral lungs with an ultra-thin and maneuverable catheter that brings extreme precision and stability compared to manual techniques.

This procedure allows doctors to create a treatment plan in hours, leading to a quicker recovery and fewer patient complications.

Pulmonary and Critical Care physician Ramakanth Pata, MD says, “This novel technology creates a virtual pathway similar to GPS like technology to help us reach the nodule for a safe biopsy. Since all lung cancers begin as nodules, robotic bronchoscopy is integral in diagnosing lung cancers at an early stage.”

In almost four months, the new piece of technology helped 18 patients in the Endoscopy Unit at St. Cloud Hospital.

CentraCare introduced the technology on April 11.