The Temple Healthy Chest Initiative, a program to identify lung disease in its earliest and most treatable stages, gained traction in 2023, a year after its launch, with more than 4,500 patients screened through LDCT. The program continues to reach new populations, with screening up 35% among Black individuals and 54% among women. The CTs screen primarily for lung cancer, but may also reveal a variety of other conditions, from coronary artery disease and abnormalities of the thyroid, kidney, liver, breast and spine; to COPD, emphysema and diseases of the esophagus and upper abdomen. More than 20% of those screened are referred to a subspecialist. The Initiative is demonstrating the efficacy of proactive planning and investment to care for a regional, as well as historically underserved, population. Learn more »

In May 2023, the FDA approved the BASHIR™ Endovascular Catheter (THROMBOLEX, Inc.) for the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Invented at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and developed by Thrombolex Inc, the approval was based on data from the RESCUE study, in which Parth Rali, MD, Associate Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery and Director of the Temple Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT), was an investigator.

Temple’s PERT team has also seen advancements in treatment of PE this year with the implementation of an FDA-approved AI software to detect high risk CT scans. Since its implementation, Temple has successfully treated more than 1,300 patients with PE and significantly reduced the time from the onset of symptoms to detection and treatment.  Learn more »

The Temple Lung Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center’s team of top pulmonary and cancer specialists bring their combined knowledge together on behalf of patients, sharing advances at conferences this year on management of early stage non-small cell lung cancer and state-of-the-art treatment for early stage lung cancer. In addition, Temple and Fox Chase specialists gather weekly with peers to share insight on their most complex cancer cases. These dedicated “tumor boards” monitor, diagnose, and determine individualized treatment courses. Temple’s participation means that Temple physicians share their cutting edge technology and expertise with fellow specialists nationally while drawing insights to continue to enhance their practice.  Learn more »

Temple University Hospital continued to lead the nation in the number of lung transplants performed in 2023 and maintains its strong reputation for securing transplants for even the most complex patients. The latest data from the Scientific Registry for Transplant Recipients shows that Temple not only had the highest lung transplant volume of any center in the United States, but also the best one-year survival outcomes in the state of Pennsylvania, exceeding national averages. Program highlights »

Temple Health inaugurated the Robert O. Witty Advanced Interventional Pulmonary Procedure Suite, a state-of-the-art bronchoscopy suite featuring cutting-edge technology for comprehensive lung care. Equipped with advanced tools such as cone beam CT, augmented fluoroscopy, and robotic systems, the suite enables clinicians to perform everything from routine airway inspections and basic interventions, to advanced therapies for diagnosing and treating various lung conditions, including suspicious lung nodules. The Suite is centrally located in the operating room of Temple University Hospital’s main campus, and is supported by an integrated pulmonary and thoracic surgical team. Additionally, the suite will serve as a training site for the latest interventions, with a focus on sharing expertise in bronchoscopic lung volume reduction. Read more »