Southern Albertans with breast cancer will be able to get a much easier type of surgery.

Officials with the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge have announced a partnership with Alberta Health Services to launch the three-year Magseed and Magtrace pilot project.

Using rice-sized magnetic markers called Magseeds, surgeons can accurately locate breast tumours or lymph nodes without traditional hook wires.

They can be placed days before surgery, so patients avoid protruding wires, the risk of displacement, and rushed same-day travel between imaging and surgery.

Hook wires have been the standard for locating abnormalities for decades, despite being uncomfortable, anxiety-inducing, and vulnerable to shifting during transport to surgery.

Dr. Tony Gomes, General Surgeon at Chinook Region

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