Thompson’s Breast Imaging Center and Breast Cancer Surgery Program are among the first in the region to offer Savi Scout® radar localization technology to treat women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. 

This cutting-edge technology makes lumpectomies easier for both patients and their surgeons by pinpointing tumors before surgery. This, in turn, allows the surgeons to go straight to the abnormality during surgery and more precisely and effectively remove the entire tumor. 

It can also help to limit the amount of healthy breast tissue removed, as well as decrease the amount of time spent in the hospital when compared with traditional wire localization. 

Savi Scout® eliminates the need for patients to have a wire localization, which required a wire sticking out of the breast, often for several hours. Prior to this new technology, in order for the wire to remain in place, movement was restricted between the time a radiologist inserted the wire the morning of surgery and when the lumpectomy occurred. The surgeon would then follow the wire and remove the tumor. In some cases, wires could move away from the tumor, making it more difficult to remove all of the cancerous tissue. When this happened, a second surgery was sometimes necessary. 

Instead of wires, Savi Scout® uses a reflector that’s about the size of a grain of rice. It can be placed in the tumor up to 30 days before surgery. The reflector isn’t visible externally, and placement does not restrict movement. The surgical guidance technology then guides the surgeon to the precise site of the tumor, often increasing the likelihood of complete tumor removal. 

One of the obvious advantages of this technology is that it allows us to eliminate wire localization, which often causes patient discomfort and anxiety. Patients also have reduced time at the center and hospital for their surgery, plus can often have surgery earlier in the day. The Savi Scout® reflector is so small it can’t even be felt. 

In addition, we are able to plan the incision during surgery, which can limit tissue removal for better cosmetic results. Our goal is to save the breast, and with this technology, we can make smaller incisions, be a lot more precise and save more of the normal tissue. This also means a less painful and quicker recovery for you.