Intuitive surpasses 10,000 robotic-assisted bronchoscopy procedures across Europe with Ion system

Since receiving its CE mark in 2023, the Ion endoluminal system has been adopted by clinical teams across Europe, including pioneering NHS teams that have integrated the technology into their lung cancer diagnostic pathways.

The milestone comes amid continued efforts to improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer, which remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in both the UK and Ireland.

According to Cancer Research UK, more than 50,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year in the UK, while approximately 32,800 people died from the disease annually in the period 2022–2024. In England, just 34% of lung cancer cases with a known stage were diagnosed at stages I or II in 2022.

Early diagnosis is particularly important because treatment options can become more limited as the disease progresses. However, obtaining a definitive diagnosis can be challenging when potentially cancerous lung nodules are located in the peripheral regions of the lung, within narrow airways or close to critical structures.

Diagnosis often requires a biopsy to obtain tissue samples for analysis. Where nodules are difficult to access, patients may experience periods of 'watchful waiting', during which abnormalities are monitored through imaging without a definitive tissue diagnosis. This can prolong uncertainty for patients and delay decisions about appropriate treatment.

Robotic-assisted technology targets difficult-to-reach lung nodules

The Ion endoluminal system is a robotic-assisted, catheter-based platform designed to help clinicians navigate deep into the lung and obtain biopsies from small and complex pulmonary nodules.

It features an ultra-thin catheter with fibre-optic shape-sensing technology, providing information about the catheter's position and shape throughout navigation and biopsy. The catheter can articulate 180 degrees in any direction, allowing it to navigate tight turns and reach peripheral areas of the lung.

Once positioned at the target, clinicians can use biopsy instruments to collect tissue samples for further investigation.

In December 2025, a European multi-centre prospective clinical study investigating shape-sensing robotic-assisted bronchoscopy alongside cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) demonstrated its ability to reach and biopsy small pulmonary nodules, including those located close to the pleura, lung fissures and critical structures.

The study, published in Thorax, included 200 participants with suspicious pulmonary nodules, with a median nodule size of 13 mm. Researchers reported successful biopsy in 198 of the 200 participants, tool-in-lesion confirmation in 99% of cases and diagnostic accuracy of 92%.

The findings provide further clinical evidence for the use of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy in accessing and sampling small, difficult-to-reach lung nodules.

The study was funded by Intuitive, with the publication also disclosing financial relationships between several authors and the company.

Supporting earlier diagnosis and treatment

Commenting on the European milestone, Dr Oliver Wagner, Vice President and Medical Officer of Intuitive's Endoluminal Division, said:

Dirk Barten, Commercial President for Europe at Intuitive, highlighted the importance of diagnostic technologies as lung cancer screening programmes expand across the continent. He said:

Intuitive is continuing to work with healthcare systems across Europe to integrate its robotic-assisted technologies into clinical pathways. The Ion system forms part of the company's wider portfolio, which also includes its da Vinci surgical systems.

Globally, more than 1,000 Ion systems have been installed in hospitals. According to Intuitive, physicians used the technology to perform more than 140,000 lung biopsies worldwide in 2025.

As screening programmes and diagnostic capabilities continue to develop, technologies that help clinicians access previously challenging lung nodules could play an increasingly important role in the investigation of suspected lung cancer.

The latest milestone reflects the growing adoption of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy across Europe, as healthcare systems continue to focus on improving diagnostic pathways and supporting earlier identification of lung cancer.

This article is based on information supplied by Intuitive, including its announcement dated 19 October 2026. Clinical study findings and product information are referenced to their respective published sources.