Northside Hospital Cherokee is excited to announce the addition of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy for patients who have suspicious lung nodules requiring tissue sampling (biopsy).
The new technology is available through the hospital’s Lung Nodule Clinic, which opened in 2021.
According to the America Cancer Society, lung cancer (both small cell and non-small cell) is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the U.S. Approximately 238,340 new cases are estimated in 2023.
“Any suspicious lung nodule (small mass) warrants a quick evaluation, as early and accurate diagnosis increases survival,” said Dr. Akhil Vallabhaneni, Cherokee Lung & Sleep Specialists.
The Ion endoluminal system from Intuitive features an ultra-thin, ultra-maneuverable catheter that enables physicians to biopsy hard-to-reach nodules deep within the lung. Additional benefits of the minimally invasive technology include increased accuracy, fewer complications and quicker diagnosis and treatment.
“This technology gives us the ability to biopsy pulmonary nodules in locations that would otherwise be high risk for procedural complications or too small to otherwise biopsy,” said Dr. Spencer Lee, Cherokee Lung & Sleep Specialists.
Dr. Vallabhaneni said robotic bronchoscopy is “safer, more accurate and more efficient” than traditional approaches, as diagnosis, staging and sometimes treatment can be done simultaneously. “The Ion robot is integrated with other advanced bronchoscopy techniques, which spares patients from undergoing multiple procedures over a prolonged period of time.”
"We are excited to offer this ability at Northside Cherokee to further expand our capabilities for our entire lung nodule program,” Dr. Lee added.
Northside Hospital Lung Nodule Clinics provide a coordinated approach to timely lung nodule evaluation and treatment and includes a multidisciplinary team of pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologist, radiation oncologists and radiologists.
Northside Hospital Lung Nodule Clinics are located in Canton, Lawrenceville and Midtown Atlanta.
Learn more about lung cancer care at Northside.
Learn more about Ion:
