Services
At The Lung Center, we have a mission to be the premiere team for preventing, diagnosing, and treating lung disease in the Permian Basin. Click the links below to learn more about each service.
Low Dose CT
A low dose CT screening is a radiology study used to detect early lung cancer. It is called “low dose” because it uses less radiation than a traditional CT scan. In fact during this scan, you will only be exposed to about half of the radiation you get from the sun in a year. It is a fast, easy, and painless test. There are no needles involved. The person to be screened lies on his back on a special table that slides through a doughnut shaped scanner. The opening in the scanner is wide and most people tolerate it very well as they are not “closed in.” You will be instructed to hold your breath and then to breathe at different times. The entire screening takes less than 5 minutes. After the screening you will be able to leave immediately as there is no recovery needed.
Diagnostic CT
Computerized tomography (CT) scan is a series of x-ray images taken from different angles around the chest, that are processed by a computer to give slices (or cross-sectional views) of the structure of the lungs. A diagnostic CT uses more radiation than a low dose CT, the amount is equal to about 2 years of background radiation (the amount of radiation you will get from the environment in 2 years). A diagnostic CT scan of the lungs is used when a nodule or other issue has been identified or if a patient is exhibiting symptoms of lung disease.
PET Scans
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a type of imaging test. It uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease in the body. The scanner detects diseased cells that absorb large amounts of the tracer. A PET scan shows how organs and tissues are working. This is different than MRI and CT scans. Those tests show the structure of organs.
Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)
EBUS is a specific type of bronchoscopy that also uses an ultrasound probe to view the airways. Bronchoscopy is a procedure that uses a thin lighted tube (bronchoscope) to see the insides of the lungs. Sometimes samples for biopsies are taken at the same time. The probe is inserted into the mouth and down into the lungs. It can be used to diagnose diseases (including cancer) in the lungs or the space between the lungs (mediastinum). EBUS is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.
Radial EBUS
Radial EBUS assists the clinician to obtain more accurate samples of nodules in areas that are difficult to access, especially in the peripheral areas of the lung. A small ultrasound probe (radial EBUS probe) is inserted down a flexible bronchoscope with the image displayed on a monitor. Once the exact location of the lesion is identified, the probe is withdrawn, and the biopsy sampling device is inserted down the scope to collect tissue samples.
Robotic Assisted Biopsy (ION)
Ion is a minimally invasive robotic assisted method of obtaining a lung biopsy. The clinician (specially trained doctor) inserts a thin catheter into the mouth to the lungs. Using a GPS-like navigation system and robotic assistance, the clinician can steer the catheter through the tiny winding airways in the lung’s outer edges to reach the nodule. Once at the nodule, the clinician can carefully remove a small amount of tissue. Being able to collect tissue from small nodules can help diagnose lung cancer in its early stages. Ion is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.
Nurse Navigation
The Lung Center Navigation program is here for YOU. Our certified Navigators are members of the healthcare team who help patients “navigate” the healthcare system and get timely care. This a personalized service tailored to each patients need. You never have to feel as if you are facing anything alone, with a nurse navigator just a phone call away. Navigators help coordinate patient care, connect patients with resources, and help patients understand the healthcare system. They offer continued support even when the treatment is completed.