Our team of experts is among the nation’s leaders in using robotic bronchoscopy to diagnose lung cancer at its earliest stages.
Lung cancer can be aggressive. Sometimes symptoms don’t appear until the disease is more advanced. That’s why early detection is critical. The Christ Hospital Health Network offers robotic bronchoscopy—the most advanced tool for detecting lung nodules. This leading-edge technology helps us detect lung cancer at the early stages when it’s most treatable.
Robotic bronchoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that detects small lung nodules (abnormal growths). Lung nodules are common, and most are harmless. But some can be cancerous. Cancerous nodules can spread before they produce symptoms. So, catching them early improves your chances that treatment will be effective.
Robotic bronchoscopy lets our doctors collect a small sample of your lung tissue (a biopsy) without surgery. It can detect small nodules even in the most hard-to-reach areas of your lung. This procedure carries a low risk of complications, and it’s precise. So, you can feel confident in your test results.
If one or more lung nodules appear on the chest X-ray or low-dose CT scan you have for lung cancer screening, your doctor may refer you to our Lung Nodule Clinic for robotic bronchoscopy. Our clinic care team offers comprehensive testing and will work with you to develop a personalized care plan that meets your unique needs.
During a robotic bronchoscopy, you’re under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel or remember anything. For this procedure, our specially trained doctors use a thin, flexible tube with a lighted camera at the end (a bronchoscope) to examine your lungs. Using computer guidance, they thread the bronchoscope through your mouth or nose and into your airways.
Images of your airways and lungs appear on a video monitor. By sliding tiny tools through the bronchoscope, our doctors can collect a small biopsy sample for testing. After we review your biopsy, we will explain your results. Based on our findings, we will talk with you about any next steps and work with you to create a care plan that’s right for you.
