Robotically assisted lung biopsy under CT fluoroscopy: lung cancer screening and phantom study

Lung cancer is an important clinical problem and lung cancer screening may lead to an early diagnosis. CT fluoroscopy-guided lung biopsy is a popular method for obtaining a tissue sample for lung cancer diagnosis. However, the radiation exposure for the physician associated with CT fluoroscopy may limit more widespread adoption of this technique. The use of a robotic needle driver that can hold the needle in a steady and precise manner on the CT fluoroscopy scan plane may provide accurate needle placement without exposing the physician to radiation. This paper will provide background on lung cancer screening, review the CT fluoroscopy-guided lung biopsy procedure, and present the results of the first phantom study to use a robotic needle driver. An interventional radiologist used a robotic needle driver under joystick control to accurately place needles into a simulated lesion in a respiratory motion phantom under CT fluoroscopy guidance.