Experience of Computer Tomography Guided Robot-Assisted Transthoracic Lung Biopsy

BACKGROUND: The sensitivity of computer tomography (CT) guided transthoracic needle biopsy for the verification of lung tumors is reported to range from 74 to 90%. An augmented reality robotic navigation system for CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy has been developed to facilitate more precise biopsy of lung lesions. The present study describes the authors’ experience with the navigation system for transthoracic lung biopsy.

AIM: To analyze the safety and diagnostic value of performing a transthoracic biopsy of lung tumors using a robotic CT navigation system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included a retrospective analysis of CT-guided robot-assisted transthoracic lung biopsy procedures performed in the Thoracic and Abdominal Surgical Oncology Department No. 72 of the Botkin Moscow General Scientific and Clinical Center between November 30, 2023 to April 04, 2024. A total of 104 patients were included in the study. The biopsy was performed following the developed algorithm.

RESULTS: The specimens obtained were morphologically valuable in 91.8% of cases (n=101/110). A total of 1–4 specimens (tissue columns) were obtained from each patient during the biopsy procedure. Specifically, 1 specimen was obtained from 7 patients (6.4٪), 2 specimens from 57 patients (51.8٪), 3 specimens from 43 patients, and 4 specimens from 3 patients (2.7٪). Among the patients for whom morphologically valuable specimens were obtained (n=101), the diagnosis of malignant tumor was confirmed in 76 cases (75.2%). In all remaining cases (n=25, 24.8%), benign lesions or inflammatory/post-inflammatory changes were diagnosed. Complications of various severity degrees occurred in 17 cases (15.5%). No deaths were reported (0%). The findings revealed no statistically significant differences in the frequency of cases with a verified diagnosis based on the diameter of the biopsy needle (p=0.124). Furthermore, the analysis revealed no statistically significant effect of the diameter of the biopsy needle (16G or 18G) on the overall complication rate (18.2 and 9%, respectively; p=0.266) and the frequency of pleural drainage for postoperative pneumothorax (10.4 and 6%, respectively; p=0.72).

CONCLUSIONS: The CT-guided robot-assisted transthoracic lung biopsy is a safe and effective technique for the morphological verification of malignant tumors.