Advanced Technology
At the Owensboro Health Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center, we’re committed to leading the region in cancer treatment and prevention.
We arm ourselves with some of the most sophisticated technology available to give our patients access to world-class resources while remaining close to home.
Sophisticated Diagnostics
Did you know?
For women with “dense” breasts, an advanced breast ultrasound technology called SonoCiné can help detect cancers that mammography may miss.
SonoCiné imaging shows cancer tissue as dark against a white background, significantly improving detection rates.
And instead of individual images, SonoCiné records the entire breast exam as video, allowing radiologists to stop, magnify and review the results as often as needed.
The exam takes about 15 minutes, and requires no breast compression and no injections.
Learn more about SonoCiné breast ultrasounds
Magnetic resonance imaging. Computed tomography. Fluoroscopy. Stereographic biopsies.
If any (or all) of that sounds intimidating, don’t worry – the staff of the Owensboro Health Outpatient Imaging Center understands how intimidating our wide array of equipment can be. We’ll answer any questions you have about our technology and explain the process for your imaging procedure.
Diagnostic testing available at Owensboro Health facilities include:
- Digital X-rays
- Digital fluoroscopy
- Digital mammography
- Stereographic breast biopsies
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including breast MRIs
- Ultrasounds, including SonoCiné breast imaging
- CT (computed tomography) scans
- PET (positron emission tomography) scans
If your doctor recommends one of these outpatient procedures, call the Owensboro Health Radiology Department toll-free at 1-855-417-8555 to schedule your screening.
Radiation Therapy
Recent advances in radiation therapy are now providing patients who are ineligible for conventional surgical treatments a renewed sense of hope.
Patient Spotlight: Teresa Rae
After a 15-year battle with emphysema, Teresa Rea learned that she had lung cancer. Breathing with only 23 percent of her lung capacity, surgery was not an option for her, even with stage-one lung cancer.
Instead, Rea received stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) at MMCC. This new type of treatment can remove stage-one tumors without surgery.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Teresa remembers. “But I was all about trying something new.”
Her outpatient treatment involved four doses over six days, at less than 90 minutes per session. Today, Teresa is back to her life and cancer-free.
MMCC offers one of the most advanced radiation therapy systems in the world – the Trilogy™ Stereotactic System from Varian Medical Systems.
This system uses powerful, tightly-focused, extremely precise radiation beams to treat very small lesions and tumors that are close to vital structures.
How it works
- Integrated imaging provides real-time X-rays and CT scans to confirm tumor position immediately prior to – and during – treatment.
- The system automatically positions patients with sub-millimeter accuracy.
- Sophisticated motion management techniques account and correct for tumor motion during treatment.
The sub-millimeter accuracy significantly reduces the volume of irradiated tissue, allowing for fewer and more targeted treatments. Side effects are few and far between – or even non-existent. Radiation beams are fine-tuned and delivered with the utmost accuracy, with a cure rate of up to 80-90 percent.
Learn more about the Trilogy™ Stereotactic System
And that’s not all…
Other radiation oncology services available at MMCC include:
- Stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
- Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT)
- High dose rate implants for lung, gynecological and prostate cancers
- Mammosite high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for breast cancer
- Low dose rate seed implants for prostate cancer
- SM-153 injections for metastatic bone pain
For more information about radiation therapy at MMCC, call (800) 947-7102 or (270) 688-3600.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
If you or a loved one 
has been diagnosed with a cancer that may require surgery, ask your oncologist about minimally invasive robotic surgery using the da Vinci® Surgical System.
This technology allows surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with precision and control. Patients who undergo this minimally invasive surgery recover faster, experience less post-operative pain and scarring and return to work more quickly. Complex cancer surgeries often no longer require critical care following procedures.
How it works
- Surgeons operate through one-centimeter incisions while seated at a console viewing a 3-D image of the surgical field – in 10x high-definition magnification.
- The surgeon’s fingers grasp controls below the console display, with hands and wrists naturally positioned relative to his or her eyes.
- The system seamlessly translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.
Learn more about the da Vinci Surgical System
And that’s not all….
Other surgery options at Owensboro Health include:
- Image-guided navigation
- Laparoscopy
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery
To learn more about these and other minimally invasive surgery options at Owensboro Health, call MMCC at (800) 947-7102 or (270) 688-3600.
