The Lucis Centre is a state-of-the art bronchoscopy unit, based at the North West Lung Centre. We offer high-tech minimally invasive fibreoptic and ultrasound investigations to diagnose, stage, treat and research conditions of the respiratory system.
The Unit houses three dedicated procedural rooms and supports the Centre’s general and specialist services in asthma, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, pleural disease and lung cancer, and research portfolios including tissue banking. Our team performs over 3,000 procedures annually.
The Lucis Centre is a dedicated investigation and treatment centre for patients with suspected and established respiratory disease. Lucis means ‘light’, reflecting the use of light in bronchoscopy procedures to illuminate and reveal respiratory conditions.
We have a broad range of fibre optic and ultrasound technology to assess the voice box, airways, lung tissue and pleural space, delivered by regional specialists in thoracic medicine.
Our services are accessed by patients from Greater Manchester, Cheshire and further afield. The Bronchoscopy Center is led by Dr Richard Booton, Clinical Lead, and Dr Matt Evison, Research Lead.
Services
The Centre provides specialist facilities for patients from the North West, Lancashire, Cumbria, Wales and North of England, including the assessment of:
- Major Airway Compromis
- Chronic Cough
- Severe Asthma
- Severe Emphysema
- Interstitial Lung Disease
- Pleural Disease
- Lung Cancer
Facilities
The new, purpose built Centre was funded with the support of the Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU) and provides an out-patient area, three fully equipped, high-specification procedure rooms, and a recovery suite for investigations, performed under local anaesthetic and sedation.
We provide a range of highly specialist procedures from routine diagnostic bronchoscopy and pleural procedures – removing fluid that has accumulated around the lung – to laryngoscopy and vocal cord inspection, cryobiopsy for the diagnosis of lung disease, and brachytherapy – a form of internal radiotherapy delivered in collaboration with The Christie.
Routine diagnostic bronchoscopy and pleural procedures:
- Autofluorescence bronchoscopy including OncoLIFE and AFI – a highly sensitive light system for detection and management of preinvasive & invasive cancer
- Narrow Band Imaging – a limited wavelength of light useful to detect and interpret vascular abnormalities.
- Linear and Radial Endobronchial Ultrasound – the use of ultrasound to visualise abnormalities beyond the conventional limit of vision to facilitate sampling of lymph nodes, lung masses and to assess depth of invasion.
- Navigational Bronchoscopy – a system used in conjunction with CT scanning to direct sampling of small inaccessible lung nodules.
- Pleural Ultrasound and Medical Thoracoscopy – used to visualise abnormalities of the lung lining and to gain surgical access to the inside of the chest.
- Laryngoscopy and vocal cord inspection – small fiberoptic cameras to visualise the voice box and assess function and movement.
- Chartis Assessment – a specialised system to assess eligibility for endobronchial valves in emphyse
Research
The Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU) is a leading trials unit for the assessment of new respiratory drugs, owned by the North West Lung Centre Charity. It is based at MFT and is one of the UK’s leading contract research organisations. The £1M investment to build the Bronchoscopy Unit from the MEU supports our commitment to continuing to be at the forefront of international research in the field of bronchoscopy and respiratory medicine.
Contact
Bronchoscopy Unit Administrator
Phone: 0161 291 4098
Fax: 0161 291 4091
Email: bronchoscopy@uhsm.nhs.uk
Location
The Bronchscopy Unit is located at the North West Lung Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital in the Yellow Zone near Entrance 4, off Southmoor Road.