Until recently, the traditional method for biopsy and staging thoracic tumors involved inserting a camera into a small incision at the base of the neck and down the airway. Advocate Christ Medical Center is one of only a few medical centers in Illinois to offer endobronchial ultrasound for highly accurate diagnosis and staging.
Endobronchial ultrasound involves a special endoscope with ultrasound built into the tip, allowing physicians to view inside a patient's airway and into the lungs to detect tumors as small as a centimeter in size. Using this breakthrough technology, our thoracic surgeons can biopsy even tiny tumors and stage the patient before major surgery, which can significantly change the management of the tumor and improve the patient's outcome.
|
