CASPER, Wyo. (Nov. 17, 2025) – Banner Wyoming Medical Center is launching an advanced robotic-assisted bronchoscopy program, becoming a critical resource for lung cancer diagnosis in a state with one of the highest lung cancer rates in the nation.
Two expert pulmonologists, Stephanie Woolley, MD, and Jeffrey Kurrus, MD, will begin performing the minimally invasive navigational bronchoscopy procedure later this month, offering Wyoming patients access to cutting-edge diagnostic technology without traveling out of state.
“The timing is particularly significant as November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month,” said Lance Porter, chief executive officer of Banner Wyoming Medical Center. “Wyoming faces a concerning reality: the state has among the highest incidence rates of lung cancer in the United States, yet screening rates remain critically low. Our new program aims to improve early detection and diagnosis for Wyoming residents.”
Both Dr. Woolley and Dr. Kurrus have been undergoing extensive training and case observations in other facilities in preparation for the launch in Casper. The Ion navigational bronchoscopy procedure allows physicians to perform biopsies of lesions with improved accuracy and safety when compared to other techniques. This can potentially accelerate the path to treatment.
More than 70% of all lung cancer nodules are in an area full of tight spaces and narrow airways that are difficult to reach. With the Ion procedure, a robotic-assisted platform, an ultra-thin, ultra-maneuverable catheter allows physicians to reach all segments of the lung.
"This technology provides us a tool that improves our access to areas of the lungs that are difficult to reach and allows us greater diagnostic precision and accuracy," said Dr. Woolley. "Our ultimate goal will be to diagnosis and stage lung cancer with fewer procedures and in an expedited manner. More rapid evaluation of suspicious lung nodules found incidentally and through lung cancer screening can lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, potentially achieving a cure.”
Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States and is the leading cause of cancer deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early detection can significantly improve outcomes. According to the CDC, the only recommended screening test for lung cancer is a low-dose CT scan. A written order for lung cancer screening is required from a qualified practitioner, and specific criteria regarding smoking history must be met. Banner Wyoming Medical Center’s lung nodule program team can refer patients to the most appropriate imaging center in their area.
The robotic technology used for the Ion procedure is located at Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, serving patients throughout the region.
About Banner Wyoming Medical Center
Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyo., is part of Banner Health and is Wyoming's largest hospital with 249 beds on two campuses. It is one of Wyoming's most comprehensive hospitals and offers a range of inpatient and outpatients services including emergency services, Level II trauma care, heart care, women and infant services, neurological care and more. It is Casper's only full-service, non-profit hospital. Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/wymc.
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