Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. Early detection and treatment are key to improving survival rates, according to Dr. Ryan James, an interventional pulmonologist at Washington Regional Medical Center.
  
“Lung cancers are found in late stage most of the time, meaning that they are not curable,” he explains. But technology is changing that. “The Ion Robotic System can be used to avoid late-stage diagnosis by allowing our team to diagnose lung cancers sooner,” James says. 

“Before, we were hesitant to go after very small nodules in high-risk areas because the risk associated with that biopsy was far too high. With Ion, we have the ability to navigate anywhere in the lung to biopsy these nodules before they have an opportunity to spread.”



James compares the Ion’s capabilities to using a GPS system. “We use the airways as roads to navigate to the nodule for our destination. We use a CT scan that's been done previously to make a 3D rendering of the patient's lungs. And we use those airways to drive a very small scope that is essentially about the size of your phone charging cable and has a small camera at the end of it. We use that to go through the roadmap that the GPS has laid out for us, and we’re able to get within a few millimeters of the nodule.” Next, small tools, such as forceps or a needle, are passed through the channel to collect biopsy samples of the nodule.

For most patients, the procedure lasts about an hour and they’re able to go home the same day. “The majority of the time, patients are back to work the next day with minimal side effects,” adds James.

If you have questions about lung biopsy with Ion, talk with your primary care provider or pulmonologist.