Breast Surgery
Northwest Health is the first hospital in the state of Arkansas to use a non-radioactive wire-free localization system during breast conservation surgeries, building on its commitment to offer the most advanced treatments for breast cancer patients.
Making Breast Cancer Surgery Easier for Women
In seeking a more compassionate and precise approach to breast cancer tumor localization, Northwest Health has adopted a non-radioactive wire-free radar localization system during breast conserving surgeries. Radar has been used for decades when precision is vital to success. It is an efficient and precise approach to localization and surgical guidance and helps surgeons remove cancerous tissue with greater confidence.
Prior to this system, the most common approach for localizing breast tumors was wire localization. With wire localization, a radiologist would place a thin, hooked wire through the skin to the tumor location. The surgeon would then use the wire to locate the tumor. This procedure would be done on the day of surgery and because the time between the wire placement and surgery can be several hours, this added procedure can be the cause of added worry and discomfort.
The non-radioactive wire-free radar localization system is a clinically proven, FDA cleared, zero-radiation approach to targeting tumors and breast lesions. It uses a unique radar signal to detect a reflector, the size of a grain of rice, which can be placed at the tumor site at the patients’ convenience. During the procedure, the surgeon scans the breast using the system’s guide to precisely and efficiently locate the reflector to within 1mm of accuracy.
The ability to precisely locate tumors increases the probability of complete cancer removal and reduces the likelihood of needing follow-up surgeries – a huge advantage for early-state breast cancer patients. In addition, the ability to strategically plan the incision may result in better cosmetic outcomes.
For more information or to see if non-radioactive wire-free radar localization is right for you, please call today to schedule an appointment.
Call (479) 757-4135 to schedule an imaging procedure at Springdale, Bentonville and Willow Creek.
Call (479) 215-3420 to schedule a mammogram at Siloam Springs.
Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. An order from a physician or qualified healthcare provider is required. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician/provider, and the patient is responsible for follow-up. Check with your insurance provider to confirm coverage for a screening mammogram.