Multimodality guidance for accurate bronchoscopic insertion of fiducial markers

Abstract

Introduction: Fiducial markers act as visible surrogates of tumor position during image-guided radiotherapy. Marker placement has been attempted percutaneously but is associated with high rates of pneumothorax and chest drain placement. Methods: Patients undergoing radical radiation treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer underwent bronchoscopic implantation of gold fducials using radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) with virtual bronchoscopy and fuoroscopic guidance to achieve tumor localization and placement within/adjacent to peripheral lung tumors. For tumors not localized using radial EBUS, fducial placement was achieved by electromagnetic navigation to the vicinity of the tumo..