Overview
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ is leading an 18‑month pilot that pairs AI scan analysis with robotic bronchoscopy to target hard‑to‑reach lung nodules.
- The system flags suspicious areas on CT scans and guides tools to nodules as small as 6mm for precise tissue sampling.
- About 300 robotic biopsy procedures have already been performed at the trust, with roughly 215 patients going on to receive cancer treatment.
- The immediate pilot will add around 250 patients, with planned expansion to King’s College Hospital and Lewisham and Greenwich trusts.
- The initiative sits alongside England’s targeted lung screening programme, which has invited over 1.5 million people since 2019 and aims for first invitations to all eligible individuals by 2030, with 1.4 million more contacts planned next year.