The Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute, a part of Lehigh Valley Health Network, adopted the SCOUT Wire-Free Radar Breast Localization System to provide easier, more compassionate care to women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

The SCOUT system provided by Cianna Medical Inc. has been proven in over 36,000 procedures. It has been shown to decrease patient discomfort, improve patient satisfaction, keep OR schedules on time by decoupling radiology and surgery schedules, reduce operating room costs and increase operational efficiency.

The Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute treated more than 680 women with breast cancer in 2017. By adopting this innovative wire-free localization technology at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, the Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute is working to reduce stress for women who are going through one of the most difficult times in their lives, as well as to reduce operating room costs and improve operational efficiency.

“We’re proud to be the first hospital in the Lehigh Valley to adopt radar wire-free localization as the standard of care, replacing the need to place a wire inside breast tissue to locate tumors during surgery,” said Lori Alfonse, DO, Surgical Oncology, Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute.

“As research and technology advance, we’re committed to adopting the safest and most progressive treatment options for women and men with breast cancer. Breast cancer surgery can be physically and emotionally distressing for women, and we strive to find ways to create a better experience and better outcomes for our patients.”

“Instead of a wire, a tiny reflector is placed at the tumor site by radiologists at Breast Health Services,” said Priya Sareen, MD, Imaging Director, Breast Health Services, the Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute.

“Because the reflector can be placed at any time during the course of diagnosis and treatment and is a relatively short procedure, it can be scheduled at the patient’s convenience prior to surgery.”

During the surgical procedure, the surgeon uses a hand-held guide to detect the location of the reflector and direct accurate and precise removal of the tumor. The reflector has no restriction on how long it can remain in the breast, which gives clinicians maximum flexibility to use SCOUT throughout the patient’s care.