Advances in Imaging to Aid Segmentectomy for Lung Cancer

Pulmonary segmentectomy has become a widely accepted technique for resection of early-stage lung cancers. Intraoperative identification of small nodules within the lung parenchyma and definition of segmental anatomy are essential for oncologic segmental resection and significantly enhanced by recent advances in imaging techniques. Advances in imaging for nodule localization, using preoperative markers and three-dimensional computed tomography, delineation of segmental anatomy, and sentinel lymph node mapping have become important components of planning and performing minimally invasive anatomic segmentectomies and are particularly well suited for the evolving robotic-assisted platform.