In a defining moment for women’s healthcare in the UAE, NMC Royal Hospital at Dubai Investments Park (DIP) is setting new benchmarks in breast cancer treatment. The hospital has adopted the advanced Sentimag system—a wire-free, radiation-free, magnetic surgical guidance technology that is already transforming patient experiences and clinical outcomes.
This bold step positions NMC DIP at the forefront of modern oncology, combining cutting-edge science with compassionate, patient-first care. And for countless women facing one of the toughest diagnoses of their lives, this innovation offers renewed hope and healing.
What Is the Sentimag System?
The Sentimag system is a pioneering surgical navigation platform that uses magnetism to locate cancerous tumours and sentinel lymph nodes with extreme precision. It replaces traditional localisation methods—such as painful wire implants and radioactive tracers—with a much safer, simpler, and more comfortable solution.
Using a handheld magnetic probe, surgeons can detect tiny magnetic markers (known as Magseed) and tracers (Magtrace) that guide them directly to the target tissue during surgery. This level of precision dramatically improves the accuracy of tumour removal while reducing the trauma, anxiety, and logistical challenges patients often face.
How It Works: Surgery Reimagined
The process begins with the insertion of a small magnetic marker near the tumour site. This can be done days or even weeks before the surgery, giving patients and doctors much-needed flexibility. Unlike wire-guided methods that require placement hours before surgery—often leading to tight scheduling, delays, or discomfort—Sentimag allows for a more relaxed and efficient planning process.
During surgery, the probe detects the magnetic field of the marker and guides the surgeon with real-time audio and visual signals. It also helps locate sentinel lymph nodes—those first nodes cancer is likely to spread to—without the use of radioactive materials. The result is a smoother, safer, and highly accurate procedure.
Why This Is a Game Changer
1. Comfort Without Compromise
Patients no longer have to endure wires protruding from their bodies or rush from imaging rooms to operating theatres. The wire-free system allows for a more dignified, less stressful experience.
2. No Radiation Exposure
By removing the need for radioactive tracers, Sentimag reduces both patient and staff exposure to harmful substances. It eliminates the need for nuclear medicine teams, special permits, or storage and disposal of radioactive materials.
3. Enhanced Precision
Sentimag’s technology offers millimetre-level accuracy. Surgeons can localise even the smallest tumours and lymph nodes with confidence, ensuring better surgical outcomes and fewer reoperations.
4. Efficient Scheduling
Hospitals can schedule surgeries with greater flexibility, reducing waiting times and improving operating room productivity. Patients also benefit from shorter hospital visits and improved pre-operative coordination.
5. Better Aesthetics
Because of the system’s pinpoint accuracy, surgeons can make smaller incisions. This not only speeds up healing but also results in less scarring—an important consideration for many patients.
Setting a New Standard for Breast Cancer Care in the UAE
By bringing this revolutionary system to the region, NMC Royal Hospital DIP is not just following global trends—it’s leading them. The hospital is among the first in the UAE to integrate Sentimag into routine breast cancer care, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and world-class treatment.
This move is more than a technological upgrade. It is a cultural and medical milestone that reflects a deep understanding of what modern patients need: advanced treatment options delivered with empathy, respect, and precision.
Transforming the Patient Journey
Before Surgery
Traditionally, patients had to endure last-minute wire localisation, long waits, and complicated logistics. Now, with Sentimag, the experience is seamless. The magnetic seed is placed well in advance, often during a routine consultation. Patients return home and come back on the day of surgery without stress or added appointments.
During Surgery
Surgeons can perform the procedure with enhanced clarity, reducing guesswork and increasing efficiency. The probe’s real-time feedback allows them to adjust their approach instantly. This leads to shorter surgeries, fewer complications, and cleaner margins.
After Surgery
Patients report less pain, faster recovery, and higher satisfaction. Many feel reassured knowing their surgery was guided by the latest technology, delivered in a calm, precise, and less invasive way.
Real-Life Impact: Stories from the Operating Room
A growing number of women treated at NMC DIP are experiencing firsthand the difference Sentimag can make. Patients who once feared the physical and emotional toll of breast surgery are now emerging from treatment with renewed confidence.
One patient shared how relieved she was not to have wires implanted on the morning of her surgery. “I could sleep the night before knowing I didn’t have to go through multiple procedures in one day,” she said. “Everything felt more organised, and I felt like a person—not just a case.”
Surgeons, too, are enthusiastic. Many describe Sentimag as one of the most significant improvements in breast surgery in years. It makes complex procedures simpler and allows them to focus more on the patient and less on the limitations of older techniques.
Looking Beyond Breast Cancer
While Sentimag is currently being used primarily for breast cancer localisation and lymph node mapping, its potential goes far beyond. NMC Royal Hospital DIP is exploring how this technology could assist in other cancers and complex soft tissue surgeries.
This opens up exciting possibilities for the broader oncology landscape in the UAE. With Sentimag, hospitals can modernise surgical workflows, improve education for young surgeons, and offer more personalised treatment pathways.
Humanising Healthcare Through Innovation
At its core, NMC Royal Hospital DIP’s adoption of Sentimag is not just about embracing new tools—it’s about humanising healthcare. In a time when cancer treatment can still feel overwhelming, this technology brings clarity, simplicity, and dignity.
By putting patients at the centre of innovation, NMC is leading a quiet revolution—one that respects the emotional and physical needs of those it serves. This is the future of healthcare: high-tech, high-touch, and profoundly humane.
Final Thoughts
NMC Royal Hospital DIP’s integration of the Sentimag system isn’t just a medical upgrade—it’s a leap forward in the way breast cancer is treated and experienced. Through a mix of compassion, technology, and clinical excellence, the hospital is changing the narrative for women in the UAE.
As more lives are touched by this innovation, the message is clear: breast cancer care doesn’t have to be scary, painful, or impersonal. With the right tools and the right heart, it can be precise, empowering, and even healing.
Let this be the beginning of a new era—where every patient walks into surgery with hope and walks out with a future.
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