Koronis Biomedical Technology Corporation (KBT) proposes to develop a navigation system for ultra-thin bronchoscopes using advanced thin-film magnetic sensor technology. Recent technological innovations in the semiconductor processing industry make this program technically achievable at this time. The use of advanced magnetic-based localization technology to provide real-time navigation imaging without fluoroscopic guidance is highly desirable. Such a localization system in an ultra-thin bronchoscope allows an operator to navigate within the periphery of the lung and track the path of a biopsy tool as it approaches a peripheral lesion.
The proposed project relates to the navigation of ultra-thin bronchoscopes. More than 150,000 solitary pulmonary nodules are reported annually in the US, each of which may indicate the presence of lung cancer. Bronchoscopy is used to locate anomalies in a patient's bronchus and if necessary, take a biopsy. Over 3,000,000 bronchoscopies are performed annually worldwide. The majority of target lung lesions are located in the peripheral areas of the lungs where large bronchoscopes cannot reach.
