Courtesy photo Board-certified thoracic surgeon, Galen Ohnmacht, M.D., and the team at MyMichigan Medical Center Midland, celebrate the completion of the health system’s first robotic-assisted lung biopsy using the newly acquired ION Intuitive system. The advanced technology helps physicians diagnose lung cancer and other lung conditions with greater precision.

MIDLAND – Galen Ohnmacht, board-certified thoracic surgeon at MyMichigan Health, and his team have successfully completed the health system’s first robotic-assisted lung biopsy using the newly acquired ION Intuitive system, according to a MyMichigan Health press release. This technology helps physicians diagnose lung cancer and other lung conditions with greater precision.

“The robotic-assisted biopsy system gives us the ability to access areas of the lung that were once extremely challenging to reach,” Dr. Ohnmacht, said in the release. “This technology also increases our diagnostic accuracy and helps us detect lung cancer earlier, when treatment options are often most effective.”

The ION system adds to MyMichigan Health’s lung cancer program by working alongside low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening, the release stated. While LDCT scans can find suspicious lung nodules before symptoms appear, the ION system helps physicians safely reach and biopsy many of those nodules that can be smaller or even deeper in the lungs, allowing for earlier and more accurate diagnoses.

According to MyMichigan Health, the ION system uses ultra-thin, shape-sensing technology and 3D CT-based planning, allowing physicians to navigate deep into the lungs. This makes it possible to reach small nodules in hard-to-access areas that were once difficult to biopsy.

“MyMichigan Health is investing in minimally invasive procedures and advanced technology to provide the best possible care for our patients,” Melwyn Sequeira, oncology service line chief for MyMichigan Health, said in the release. “We are the region’s destination of choice for cancer care and are recognized for delivering high-quality care while keeping the patient experience at the center of everything we do.”

In addition to the ION system, as well as low-dose CT lung cancer screening, MyMichigan’s lung care program also includes board-certified thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists, multidisciplinary tumor board review, personalized cancer treatment, a lung cancer coordinator, and a lung cancer nurse navigator.

Those interested in more information on MyMichigan Heath’s comprehensive cancer program may visit www.mymichigan.org/cancer.