Evaluation of an auto-guidance system for bronchoscope insertion

Using an Auto-Guidance System for Bronchoscope Insertion by virtual bronchoscopic navigation, when the lesion is set as a target, the bronchus is isolated by automatic adjustment of the threshold, then, the route to the target is searched, and virtual images are obtained. We performed transbronchial biopsy (TBB) using the system in combination with a thin bronchoscope and endobronchial ultrasonography using a thin guide sheath (thin GS-EBUS) for diagnosing twenty-three pulmonary peripheral lesions. Virtual images to a median of the 5th generation bronchus could be obtained. In all patients, the branching patterns on virtual images were the same as those on actual images. Twenty-one lesions could be visualized by EBUS, and biopsy confirmed 15 pulmonary cancerous lesions and 4 inflammatory lesions.