Saint Peter’s University Hospital Introduces New Minimally-Invasive Robotic Technology for Earlier Lung Cancer Detection

Many early tumors can't be accessed or biopsied with traditional tools, delaying diagnosis and treatment. Even short delays-as little as 12 weeks between diagnosis and intervention-are linked with a higher risk of recurrence and worse overall survival.

Additionally, conventional bronchoscopy can have a diagnostic yield as low as 30 to 40 percent for small, peripheral lesions. While newer guidance systems like virtual or electromagnetic navigation and radial endobronchial ultrasound have improved outcomes, they still face limitations, especially when the lesion lacks a visible airway path. For patients, this means turning to more invasive procedures such as needle biopsies through the chest wall, which can increase risks like lung collapse (pneumothorax), or surgical biopsies which can extend recovery times.

How it works
The process begins with a high-resolution CT scan that creates a detailed 3D map of the patient's lungs. Using this image, the pulmonologist plots a precise pathway through a breathing tube to concerning lesions. During this minimally invasive procedure, the pulmonologist uses a thin, guided, flexible catheter through the lung's complex airways.
"The catheter can articulate up to 180 degrees in any direction, maintaining stability as it moves deeper into smaller airways," said Amar Bukhari, MD, chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Saint Peter's University Hospital. "Real-time navigation feedback ensures accurate positioning, and advanced X-ray imaging confirms that the biopsy tool is exactly where it needs to be. Once in place, the physician can deploy biopsy instruments to collect tissue from the target lesion," he adds.

Key advantages of the new technology include:

• Less invasive: The procedure is performed through the mouth, without the need for surgical incisions.
• Lower complication rates: The risk of lung collapse is significantly lower compared with transthoracic needle biopsy.
• Faster recovery: Most patients go home the same day.
• Faster diagnosis: Patients will receive treatment earlier when needed.

"Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy gives our pulmonology team the ability to reach lung nodules that most technologies can only monitor. Now we can intervene earlier, reduce procedural risks, and shorten the patient's path to diagnosis," said Dr. Bukhari.
The first step for patients is to schedule a low-dose CT lung screening. Patients eligible for the lung screening include adults ages 50 to 80 years old (or 50 to 77 for Medicare patients) who meet the following criteria:

• Have a history of smoking over 20 packs-year
  • A pack year is equal to smoking to 1 pack (or about 20 cigarettes) per day for a year. For example, a person can have a 20 pack-year history by smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years.
  • Are a current smoker OR was previously, having quit within past 15 years

About Saint Peter's University Hospital
Saint Peter's University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter's Healthcare System, is a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Saint Peter's, which received its seventh consecutive designation as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2025, and its first Magnet with Distinction ®, is also a state-designated children's hospital and regional perinatal center, and a regional specialist in diabetes, gastroenterology, head and neck surgery, oncology, orthopedics, and women's services. Saint Peter's is the recipient of the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for the adult intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, cardiac progressive care unit and the pediatric intensive care unit. The Children's Hospital at Saint Peter's University Hospital provides families with access to a full range of pediatric specialties, including a nationally recognized Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pediatric surgery and orthopedic surgery featuring innovative anterior scoliosis correction. The hospital has the state's only hospital-based, midwifery-led birth center - the Mary V. O'Shea Birth Center, accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers. Saint Peter's is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine, and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732.745.8600.