Navigated EBUS and Functional Imaging in Lung Cancer

Electromagnetic navigation systems have proved feasible for precise intraoperative guiding during videobronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), based on maps made of preoperative CT images. PET--CT, PET--MRI and fMRI can point out malignant lesions. When fused into a research navigation system, functional imaging can add information of optimal sampling points in lung cancer staging. Correct image registration is then fundamental. This study is a build--on to NCT02493023, assessing the position and image registration accuracy and clinical feasibility of a multimodal image guiding system in patients referred for lung cancer staging by EBUS--TBNA.