The technology — an endoluminal system called Ion and designed by Intuitive Surgical — is a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted device that can retrieve tissue samples from deep inside the lungs, according to a release from the hospital.
“It will allow for early detection of cancerous lung nodules or masses with increased precision and accuracy, along with decreased risk of complications,” Anil Magge, MD, director of interventional pulmonology, said in the release. “Given the catheter’s flexibility and shape sensing technology, it allows the ability to biopsy very small nodules in difficult to reach areas in the periphery of the lung that are concerning for cancer.”
