MILWAUKEE, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS)-- A new technology that could help to save lives is now in Wisconsin.

Dr. Alysandra Lal is a breast surgeon and has been with Ascension Columbia St. Mary for the past ten years. Recently Dr. Lal and Dr. Rachel Loomans began working with a new targeting device to help patients battling breast cancer. 

"Now there is a new technology called mag seed which is a metal seed that is inert, it's not radioactive like other seeds," MD, Breast Surgeon at Ascension Columbia St. Mary, Alysandra Lal said.

The mag seed is designed to pinpoint abnormal tissue for surgeons like Dr. Lal when they are going in to take the bad stuff out.

"That seed sits next to the original biopsy chip and what’s nice about it is in the operating room that beeps more quickly when I get near the seed," Lal said.

The mag seed is only about the size of a grain of rice. It also allows for more accuracy and precision from the scans to the operating room

"Since we started doing the magnetic seed localization the specimens that we are seeing back from the operating room are more precisely located right around the abnormal tissue," MD, Director of Women’s imaging, Wisconsin Radiology specialists, Rachel Loomans said.

Before the mag seed, doctors traditionally used a wire. They insert it in to pinpoint the abnormal tissue. However, the wire would make some patients uncomfortable.

"There are other problems with the wire-like it could get pulled back or pushed in," Lal said.

But now, with these seeds, both Lal and Loomans say it's benefiting both their works and the patients since they began using it.

Ascension is the only health system in the state of Wisconsin that offers this technology. It is available at seven of their locations across the state., doctors traditionally used a wire. They insert it in to pin point the abnormal issue. However, the wire would make some patients uncomfortable.

"There are other problems with the wire like it could get pulled back or pushed in," Lal said.

But now, with these seeds, both Lal and Loomans say it's benefiting both their works and the patients since they began using it.

Ascension is the only health system in the state of Wisconsin that offers this technology. It is available at seven of their locations across the state.