Carteret Cancer Care Enhanced With New LOCalizer Implantable Tag

A more convenient and precise treatment for targeting breast lesions is one technologic advancement now being used at Carteret Health Care. The LOCalizer™ Implantable Tag is a wire-free lesion localization marker used prior to breast-conserving surgery. Now implantable for up to 30 days, patients and providers have more flexibility, more comfort and ease of use for breast surgery guidance.

Granted FDA approval in January 2019, CHC is the second organization in North Carolina to offer this new guidance system that replaces the traditional wire-guided method requiring the insertion of a wire the day of surgery. Distributed by Hologic, the LOCalizer is a non-radioactive, radiofrequency localization system designed for precise marking and targeting of lesions in breast-conserving surgery.

Following placement days ahead of surgery, the miniature implantable tag can be detected by a portable, handheld reader that indicates the location and distance to the lesion, enabling the surgeon to pinpoint the correct area of breast tissue for removal. Each tag also features a unique identification number that is displayed on the reader. This improved workflow is designed to help reduce scheduling and logistical hurdles for care teams, and delivers added convenience and more comfort for an enhanced patient experience.

Dr. Mindy Merritt, Breast Surgeon at Carteret Health Care has been using the LOCalizer system. She noted that the new system enables her to provide surgeries tailored appropriately for each patient. “Everyone is different and the LOCalizer system address some of the challenges patients face while being more comfortable and less cumbersome for patients – all without wires.”

Carteret Health Care is a 135-bed, not-for-profit community hospital serving eastern North Carolina. The Cancer Center provides an outstanding comprehensive range of medical and radiation oncology services to meet the needs of cancer patients and their caregivers close to family, friends and home.