West China Hospital Professor Liu Dan's Real-Time Path Correction Method for Bronchoscopic Navigation Gains Traction as Respiratory Intervention Becomes the Gold Standard

Bronchoscopy is one of the most commonly used clinical tools for examining the lungs and airways. However, the bronchial structure is intricate and complex; pathological changes can lead to complications such as obstruction and stenosis. Without a precise navigation system, it is difficult for medical personnel to accurately locate lesions, significantly compromising diagnostic efficacy. Furthermore, the bronchi are relatively fragile, and improper manipulation may pose risks to patients, including pneumothorax and hemorrhage.

Therefore, bronchoscopy navigation systems have remained a focal point of research interest.

March 19, 2024,Team of Liu Dan, West China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityDisclosure of one item“A Real-Time Path Correction Method for Bronchoscopy Navigation”Patent. This patent canBronchoscopy provides reliable guidance for clinical procedures, improving real-time navigation accuracy and reducing the incidence of complications.

Patent Disclosure Information (Image Source: PatSnap)

Although bronchoscopy navigation systems have become relatively mature in their development, pain points still exist in clinical applications.

First, respiratory motion and sudden foreign body interference can both lead to navigation errors, compromising the quality and accuracy of real-time imaging. Furthermore, existing bronchoscopes equipped with navigation systems primarily reach lesions through invasive procedures, causing significant inconvenience to patients during anesthesia, sputum suction, and postoperative recovery, while also posing risks of complications such as infection. Finally, current navigation systems impose high demands on operators, requiring extensive training periods, which increases costs for both hospitals and physicians.

The correction method developed by Liu Dan’s team can be applied throughFusion and Comparison of Pulmonary Virtual Path Planning with Bronchoscopic Real-World Imaging, guiding physicians in performing bronchoscopic procedures. This approach not only reduces errors caused by respiratory motion and interference from foreign bodies, but also enables junior physicians to achieve “what you see is what you get,” thereby simplifying the procedural workflow and improving operational accuracy.

Additionally, this correction method also introducesRespiratory Compensation, Point Set Registration...and other technologies enable real-time path planning and correction, ensuring the precision and accuracy of navigation routes, thereby reducing intraoperative injuries and complications caused by path planning deviations.

For years, many researchers have proposed new approaches to enhance the accuracy of bronchoscopy navigation. Some, like Professor Liu Dan’s team, have developed correction methods based on existing products, while others have focused on pioneering novel technologies.

Currently, in addition to virtual navigation systems, bronchoscopy is supported by multiple navigation technologies, including ultrasound navigation, electromagnetic navigation, 4D electromagnetic navigation, and the LungPro navigation system.

Ultrasound Navigation SystemReal-time ultrasound technology provides operators with 360-degree ultrasound images of the small airways and surrounding tissues, enabling precise localization of terminal bronchi and peripheral pulmonary lesions. To enhance patient comfort and safety, ultrasound probes are currently evolving toward miniaturization.

Developed by AngioDynamics in 20231.4 mm Ultra-Thin Radial Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) BronchoscopeOfficially approved. Reportedly, this bronchoscope can reach segmental bronchi at the 8th to 10th generation and even further distal airways. The advantages of its miniaturized probe enable the device to perform endobronchial ultrasound imaging in adults’ digestive tracts, upper respiratory tracts, and bronchi, while also making it suitable for pediatric use. Furthermore, it reduces surgical risks and the incidence of complications.

Electromagnetic Navigation SystemIn China, it is primarily used for biopsies of endoluminal and extraluminal lesions. With technological iterations, systems based on electromagnetic navigation have emerged that can also address extrabronchial lesions.4D Electromagnetic Navigation System。

As early as 2020,Langkai MedicalThe company independently developed an electromagnetic navigation system, filling the domestic gap in clinical devices in this field. Reportedly, this technology primarily utilizes computer-based virtual bronchoscopy combined with three-dimensional CT imaging to enable precise localization and real-time navigation for early-stage minute lung lesions and various respiratory diseases.

Since then, electromagnetic navigation systems have rapidly gained widespread clinical adoption, inIn 2022, the Chinese Medical Journal also published relevant expert consensus., to facilitate the more systematic application of this technology in clinical practice.

AlthoughLungPro Navigation SystemAlthough it has just been launched, its superior performance has already enabled clinical application. This navigation system not only facilitates biopsies of both endobronchial and extrabronchial lesions but also remains unaffected by physiological movements such as respiration, heartbeat, and large vessel pulsation, thereby further enhancing navigation accuracy.

In 2021,Broncus Medicalits navigation platform LungPoint^®Augmented Reality (AR) Navigation System and LungPro^®The total lung diagnosis and treatment navigation system has been approved by the U.S. FDA, CE, and NMPA. It is reported that this isAt that time, the world’s only navigation platform capable of overcoming bronchial limitations to achieve whole-lung navigation, diagnosis, and treatment., effectively compensating for the low diagnostic yield and therapeutic limitations of bronchoscopy, which can only access a subset of endobronchial lesions.

In addition to various navigation systems, researchers are also attempting to enhance the precision of bronchoscopy through surgical robotic approaches. As early as 2022,Prof. Li Weimin and Prof. Liu Dan’s Team at West China HospitalCompleted.China’s First Robot-Assisted Bronchoscopic Lung Nodule Biopsy Using a Domestically Produced System, domestically produced bronchoscopy surgical robots make their debut.

Team operates domestically produced bronchoscopy surgical robot (Image source: West China Hospital, Sichuan University)

Accuracy and safety are the focal points in the development of bronchoscopy, as well as key themes in the advancement of contemporary medical technology. With the continuous progress of medical technology, bronchoscopic techniques are undergoing constant innovation and refinement. Currently, researchers are exploring the integration of bronchoscopy with other medical technologies, fostering a multidisciplinary, multi-technological approach to diagnosis and treatment. This evolution promises to deliver more comprehensive and efficient healthcare services to patients in the future.