Robotic Micro-needle Journeys Deep Into The Lungs

A tiny, barely visible but steerable nickel-titanium needle can be precisely guided into lung tissue while avoiding vital structures including blood vessels. Blending the resources at the University of North Carolina, pulmonologists, radiologists, bioengineers, and computer scientists developed the robotic needle. The needle is attached to a catheter and introduced into the lung via a bronchoscope. Once deep within the airways, the robotic needle is advanced forward nearly entirely guided by a computer employing navigational data obtained via prior CT scanning that precisely locates blood vessels, airways, and objects to be biopsied or injected with medication. This miracle needle will permit injections deep in not only the lungs but, after additional studies, also within other vital organs…… someday soon.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.adf7614

#robotics #needle #CT #biopsy #chemotherapy #immunotherapy