San Ramon Regional Medical Center Acquires Innovative Technology for Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Apr 18, 2022San Ramon, Calif. – April 18, 2022 – A new innovation that holds promise to fight lung cancer is now available at San Ramon Regional Medical Center. Used to view the inside of the lungs and obtain a tissue sample for biopsy, the goal of the Monarch™ Platform is to enable earlier and more-accurate diagnosis of small and hard-to-reach nodules at the edge of the lung.
This technology integrates the latest advancements in robotics, software, data science, and endoscopy. San Ramon Regional Medical Center is one of only ten hospitals in California to utilize the platform, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, in part because it has no symptoms in its early stages. Because the Monarch Platform provides improved reach, vision and control for bronchoscopic procedures, it holds potential to help us to make a diagnosis earlier,” said Ann Lucena, CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center. “We are excited about the promise of this technology to offer a more hopeful future for our patients with lung cancer.”
There are a variety of diagnostic options currently available for lung cancer, but many have limitations in accuracy, safety, or invasiveness. These limitations can lead to false positives, false negatives, or side effects such as pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and hemorrhage, which may increase healthcare costs and extend hospital stays.
The Monarch Platform utilizes a familiar controller-like interface that physicians use to navigate the flexible robotic endoscope to the periphery of the lung with improved reach, vision, and control. Combining traditional endoscopic views into the lung with computer-assisted navigation based on 3D models of the patient’s own lung anatomy, the Monarch Platform provides physicians with continuous bronchoscope vision throughout the entire procedure.
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