Robotic-Assisted Lung Biopsy

Diagnosing lung cancer usually requires a biopsy – taking a small sample of cells that will be tested in a lab. In the past, a lung biopsy involved passing a needle through the chest wall and into the lung. When a biopsy is performed using minimally invasive navigational bronchoscopy, the sample is taken from inside the airways.

Procedure Overview:

• Navigational bronchoscopy is performed by gently guiding instruments down the trachea, or windpipe.
• The provider then uses advanced imaging and controls to maneuver an ultra-flexible catheter through the twists and turns of the small, branching airways within the lungs.
• Once the exact location of the nodule has been reached, the catheter is locked in place to ensure stability and precision while a flexible biopsy needle collects samples of the tissue with more accuracy than ever before.

Because symptoms don’t typically develop until the disease has spread, most cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the late stages when the disease is extremely difficult to treat. For this reason, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States.

Doctors have found that screening for lung cancer in people at high risk of the disease can help to detect lung cancer early, which improves the chances of successful treatment. With smoking playing a role in 80-90% of lung cancer cases, those with an extensive history of tobacco use should talk to their provider about routine lung cancer screening.

You will need to have a physician order for a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). To learn more about screening for lung cancer, or if you feel you are a candidate for a screening, please talk to your healthcare provider.