COLUMBUS, Ind. -- Technology designed to guide fighter pilots is now leading doctors deep into lungs to detect cancer cells earlier than ever before.

Columbus Regional Hospital is the only facility in Indiana currently using IN REACH, an electromagnetic navigation tool that can reach the smallest lesions not accessible through a traditional bronchoscopy, 6News' Stacia Matthews reported.

"It allows you to pretty much get almost 100 percent of the lungs covered in terms of biopsy activity, recognition of small nodules, evaluation of lymph nodes in the center of the chest and other critical areas," said Dr. David Wilson.

The technology also allows pathologists to analyze tissue samples on the spot for immediate diagnoses.

Bob Kasting, a teacher at Columbus East High School, was originally diagnosed with prostate cancer. But a CT scan for the disease also spotted a tiny mark at the tip of his lung.

Using IN REACH, doctors were able to wrap around the tissue deep in his lung for a biopsy. The cancer was in its earliest stage.

"Eighteen months, two years later they told me it would have been too late to do surgery," Kasting said. "They did the surgery. It's gone. It's out and I didn't need that lobe anyway."

Kasting also underwent prostate surgery and doctors said he is now completely cancer free.

Doctors using the IN REACH technology at Columbus Regional Hospital have performed 1,000 of the 5,000 procedures worldwide.