Novant Health, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., has begun using Ion robotic bronchoscopy technology across southeastern North Carolina to perform minimally invasive biopsies of hard-to-reach lung nodules.
The technology, funded by the Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation, allows physicians to reach small-lung nodules with a thin, flexible catheter, offering an alternative to traditional monitoring or more invasive procedures, according to a March 31 hospital news release.
Hospital leaders said the technology may help accelerate evaluation of potentially cancerous nodules, particularly those located in peripheral areas of the lung that are more difficult to access.
Only 28% of lung cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, when survival rates are higher, according to a 2025 report from the American Lung Association.
Novant Health also operates an incidental lung nodule program that identifies abnormal findings from unrelated scans and helps coordinate follow-up care with specialists.
