Robotic Bronchoscopy Milestone at Northwestern Medicine: A Leap Forward in Localized Lung Cancer Diagnostics

Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital performed its 100th robotic-assisted bronchoscopy — a step-change for local lung nodule diagnosis that accelerates access to definitive tissue sampling.

The platform reduces missed lesions and shortens time-to-biopsy by enabling in-procedure pathology and targeted sampling with robotic-assisted bronchoscopy. Better navigation to peripheral targets, real-time sampling and compatibility with standard bronchoscopic tools lower procedural risk and patient stress while producing clearer, faster data to guide therapy.

Bringing this capability into a community hospital reduces off-site referrals and patient travel. Local teams can establish same-day or rapid-result biopsy pathways and coordinate follow-up care within the same system, shortening administrative handoffs and streamlining treatment planning—keeping care closer to home for affected patients.

The technology relies on real-time navigation, a compact catheter system that maintains target stability through respiration, and standard sampling tools. Maintaining diagnostic yield depends on focused staff training, defined case selection for peripheral nodules, and peri-procedural workflows that integrate rapid pathology review and specimen handling—so the biggest gains are for complex peripheral lesions and for patients for whom travel to tertiary centers is a barrier.

The 100-case milestone signals scalable adoption and the potential to shorten diagnostic pathways across similar community hospitals. Practical next steps include expanding appropriate indications and monitoring real-world turnaround metrics to confirm durable gains in access and timeliness.

Key Takeaways:

• Advanced catheter-based navigation and in-procedure sampling are now available locally, reducing procedural invasiveness.
• Patients with peripheral lung nodules and community clinicians who previously relied on tertiary referrals are the primary beneficiaries.
• Broader case selection, expanded staff training, and routine measurement of turnaround times will refine local diagnostic performance.