Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy | Designed to Advance Lung Cancer Care

Time to intervention is critical

In lung cancer, time to intervention is critical. Robotic bronchoscopy with Ion enables clinical confidence to get early answers and accelerates program impact.

Intuitive built Ion on the belief that collecting lung tissue samples for biopsy could be safe and simple, even when lung nodules are small and located in the periphery. Ion’s ultrathin, ultramaneuverable catheter allows clinicians to reach small lesions in all 18 segments of the lung with more reach, precision, and stability.¹

Ion: Designed to advance lung care

Every design decision, from catheter sizing to unique shape-sensing technology, represents focused effort. Ion enhances reach, precision, and stability relative to manual lung biopsy.

Dec 20, 2024 | 00:02:01

Ion: Designed to advance lung care

Every design decision, from catheter sizing to unique shape-sensing technology, represents focused effort. Ion enhances reach, precision, and stability relative to manual lung biopsy.

Dec 20, 2024 | 00:02:01
Reach nodules in the outer third of the lung

The Ion system’s ultrathin robotic catheter has the smallest outer diameter currently available. Its size and advanced maneuverability allow navigation far into the periphery.

Dec 20, 2024 | 00:01:49
Precise control deep in the peripheral lung

The Ion system’s fully articulating catheter and flexible needle enable accurate biopsy, with precise steering to different areas of a target, even in nodules outside airways.

Dec 20, 2024 | 00:02:00
Ion integration with existing technologies

The Ion system is designed to fit easily into a bronchoscopy suite. It seamlessly integrates with existing technologies, imaging methods, and lung care center workflows.

Dec 20, 2024 | 00:02:06

Reimagining the lung cancer patient pathway

Many patients require multiple biopsies prior to lung cancer diagnosis, which can add months to a patient’s journey to care.² One goal in designing Ion was to shorten the patient journey by making it possible to reach and biopsy difficult-to-reach nodules in the peripheral lung, where more than 70% of cancerous lung nodules may be located.³ Ion supports finding answers faster along a less invasive path to diagnosis.

What makes Ion robotic bronchoscopy systems the platform of the future?

Ion has been developed in partnership with the lung community to be future-proof. Intuitive provides holistic support to optimize your bronchoscopy service line and accelerate thoracic oncology program development.

See how Ion works

Ion biopsy planning on a laptop with PlanPoint software

3D mapping & planning

Biopsy planning reimagined.⁴ Using 3D airway trees generated from CT scans of your patient’s lungs, you can identify a targeted pulmonary nodule. Ion’s PlanPoint software automatically creates a path to the nodule.

Ion visualization with two navigation views showing position

Precise and stable biopsy

Ion is the only bronchoscopy platform using fiber optic shape sensing. This technology measures the entire catheter 100s of times per second, providing the necessary information to navigate and biopsy with precision anywhere in the lung.⁵

Support resources

Intuitive’s ecosystem of support services is designed to support your unique lung program. From case observations to technology training to consulting services, we work with you to identify the resources that will enable your program’s goals.

Contact us

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Comparison to reach, precision and stability are relative to manual bronchoscope and biopsy techniques. Reach is defined by airway generation access. Precision is the ability to place a biopsy tool in a desired location consistently. Stability is enabled by fiber optic sensing technology which maintains active robotic control of catheter position and corrects unwanted tip deflection. Data on file at Intuitive.
Zhang Y, Shi L, Simoff MJ, J Wagner O, Lavin J. Biopsy frequency and complications among lung cancer patients in the United States. Lung Cancer Manag. 2020;9(4):LMT40. Published 2020 Aug 17. doi:10.2217/lmt-2020-0022.
Horeweg N, van der Aalst CM, Thunnissen E, et al. Characteristics of lung cancers detected by computer tomography screening in the randomized NELSON trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2013;187(8):848-854. doi:10.1164/rccm.201209-1651OC.
Results based on internal testing. Data on file.
PlanPoint software features and functionality (including biopsy planning, segmentation, auto anatomy border, user flexibility) or features and functionality of the Ion endoluminal system.

Disclosures

Ion Endoluminal System
The Ion Endoluminal System assists the user in navigating a catheter and endoscopic tools in the pulmonary tract using endoscopic visualization of the tracheobronchial tree for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The Ion Endoluminal System enables fiducial marker placement. It does not make a diagnosis and is not for pediatric use. The Flexision Biopsy Needle is used with the Ion Endoluminal System to biopsy tissue from a target area in the lung.

The PlanPoint Software uses patient CT scans to create a 3D plan of the lung and navigation pathways for use with the Ion Endoluminal System.

The Ion Endoluminal System, the Flexision Biopsy Needle and the PlanPoint Software are class IIa medical devices CE marked (CE 2460) under the European Medical Devices Regulation (EU 2017/745), manufactured by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Refer to Instructions For Use before use.