Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2025
Author Spotlight: Expanding Interventional Pulmonology Research with Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy
Published on: July 19, 2024
5G-Based Remote Virtual Bronchoscopic Navigation-Guided Transbronchial Lung Biopsy for Diagnosis of Lung Cancer:
Junfeng Huang1, Jinsheng Lin2, Chongxiang Chen2
1State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China, JimFun001@163.com.
Introduction:
Bronchoscopic navigation combined with endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial lung biopsy (EBUS-TBLB) is an important approach for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL). The fifth-generation (5G) network, characterized by low latency and high stability, has shown promising possibilities in telemedicine for remote areas.
Methods:
We present two cases of PPL in primary hospitals without navigation equipment. The EBUS-TBLB was performed with the guidance of remote augmented reality virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) based on a 5G network. In practice, the 5G network could enable the matching of actual/virtual bronchoscopic images and navigation paths in real time, as well as high-speed transmission at long distances (>20 km), without any visual delay (<500 ms).
Conclusion:
Both patients were successfully diagnosed with lung cancer after accurate positioning and obtaining biopsies of target lesions. This 5G-based remote VBN-guided EBUS-TBLB appears to be safe with reliable connections in both cases and shows potential for cost-effectiveness. It would be an optimal resource for undeveloped regions and/or regions lacking endoscopists with extensive experience in navigation-related procedures.
