Image-Guided Percutaneous Robotic Interventions for Lung

Interventional radiology (IR) has aided advances in the diagnosis and treatment of lung pathologies through procedures such as percutaneous biopsy, tumor ablation and drainage of intra-thoracic collections. The success and safety of these interventions largely depend on timely and accurate needle/device placement. Additionally, there is an inherent need to minimize radiation exposure during image-guided procedures. Robotic systems offer potential solutions to improve procedure time and accuracy, as well as reduce radiation dose. This article summarizes the existing data for clinically utilized robotic systems in the context of percutaneous lung intervention. Additionally, practical considerations are outlined when implementing robotic systems in clinical practice. Whilst robotic systems can be useful adjunctive tools, currently available systems require significant physician supervision and are therefore limited by a lack of true system autonomy.