Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy for lung nodules and masses - can it replace CT-guided transthoracic biopsy?

PURPOSE: Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy is a rapidly evolving tool for the diagnosis of peripheral lung nodules. This review examines literature from the past 18 months, comparing robotic-assisted bronchoscopy's performance with CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy.Recent findings: Recent studies confirm that robotic-assisted bronchoscopy has a noninferior diagnostic yield and a better safety profile than CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy. The clinical utility of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy may be further expanded by its compatibility with various biopsy tools, integrated imaging with navigation, capacity for sampling multiple lesions in a single procedure, and ongoing development of associated ablative therapies.

SUMMARY: Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy demonstrates a comparable diagnostic yield and a superior safety profile compared to CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy. The additional features permitted in robotic-assisted bronchoscopy may expand its clinical utility in the future.