• anchorage
• biopsy
• bronchospy
• navigation system
• needle

Bronchoscopy is a minimally invasive intervention with a low risk of complications. If CT-images show suspicious lesions, there may be a need to take a sample of tissue for a definitive diagnosis with a biopsy tool, such as biopsy forceps, cytology brush or transbronchial needles. The success rate of biopsy procedures performed with bronchoscopy is low, i.e. they do not provide a decisive diagnosis and there is often a need for repetitive biopsies. Using an ultrathin bronchoscope and navigation systems will increase the diagnostic yield of a biopsy, from approximately 63% to 73-80% for solitary peripheral lesion > 2 cm.
This thesis presents a novel design concept for a biopsy tool and a new step for the biopsy procedure in order to solve some of the challenges and limitations of sampling lung lesions, particularly in the peripheral parts of the lung.