DEVICE FOR DETECTING DEEP LUNG TUMORS SHOWS PROMISE IN TRIAL. (PHOTO).

 Device for detecting deep Lung Tumors shows promise in trial

A Cutting-Edge Robot-Assisted Bronchoscope shows promise in detecting small Lung Tumors, according to clinical trial results presented at a European Respiratory Society meeting in Amsterdam.

The device uses specialized CT scans to locate tumors deep within the lung’s most difficult-to-reach areas. A robotic system then guides the bronchoscope to these regions, allowing doctors to take biopsies and confirm whether the tissue is cancerous.

“The technology allows specialists to access nearly any region of the lung, meaning we can offer biopsy to more patients and diagnose cancers earlier when treatment is more effective,” said lead researcher Dr. Carolin Steinack, senior attending pulmonologist at University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland.

Aleš Rozman, chair of the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on interventional pulmonology, said the technology could help identify and treat lung cancers at earlier, more manageable stages. “Survival is much higher when patients are diagnosed early, yet these very small tumors are often hard to detect,” Rozman said, noting the robot-assisted system increases diagnostic success.

Bronchoscopy involves guiding a thin tube fitted with a camera and light down the throat into the lungs. In the trial, 78 patients with 127 abnormal growths at the outer edges of their lungs were studied. The tumors averaged less than half an inch and often lacked a connecting airway.

Patients were split between traditional bronchoscopy using X-ray imaging and robot-assisted bronchoscopy with CT scans. The robot-assisted approach reached 84% of tumors compared with just 23% using the conventional method. In cases where traditional techniques failed, the robotic system succeeded in 93% of attempts to obtain a biopsy.

Overall, 68 patients were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 50 had the earliest, most treatable form of the disease. “In clinical practice, this technology enables accurate diagnosis in patients for whom conventional bronchoscopy offers no viable option,” Steinack said.

The technology comes with a high cost: the system exceeds $1.1 million and adds roughly $2,350 per procedure. “For centers treating many patients with these tumors, the benefits justify the investment,” said senior researcher Dr. Thomas Gaisl of University Hospital Zurich. “However, it should be reserved for small, hard-to-reach lesions where conventional bronchoscopy isn’t feasible.”

Rozman emphasized the importance of research. “It’s vital we conduct this type of gold-standard research to justify the additional cost of installing and using this equipment,” he said.

The findings were presented on Sunday and should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.