pulmonary disorders
Bronchoscopy
Navigational Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy can be done using navigation toward suspect peripherally located lesions for biopsy. Navigation can be electromagnetic or virtual. In both types, thin-slice CT images are used to prepare a virtual bronchoscopic pathway to the lesion using software and before the biopsy. Virtual guidance: Bronchoscopic images are combined with the virtual images to help direct bronchoscopy in real time. Electromagnetic guidance: An electromagnetic field placed under the patient provides additional information to help guide bronchoscopy in real time ( References ). This procedure is done more commonly than virtual bronchoscopy. The benefit of navigational bronchoscopy compared to traditional flexible bronchoscopy or endobronchial ultrasound is still being established, although one study did not show additional diagnostic benefit ( References ). 