Skills course: Advanced image-guided navigation and biopsy of peripheral pulmonary nodules

This course aims to improve the early and accurate diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules by training pulmonologists in advanced image-guided navigation and biopsy techniques. Traditional biopsy methods can be less effective and carry higher risks.

Using advanced imaging-based technologies, clinicians can enhance navigation, perform safer biopsies, and potentially enable future local treatments, ultimately improving diagnostic accuracy, patient safety, and comfort.

The course is specifically tailored for pulmonologists with advanced endoscopic expertise, who are proficient in basic bronchoscopy and have experience with cancer diagnostic procedures and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS).

Course format

Preceding the course

• E-learning modules to prepare participants with foundational knowledge

During the course

• Theoretical knowledge through expert-led lectures
• Hands-on clinical and simulation training in dry-lab sessions
• Supervised hands-on training with patient cases in wet-lab sessions

Topics

• Technical and clinical aspects of the navigation bronchoscopy procedure
• Rapid on-site cytopathology in interventional bronchoscopy
• Radiation exposure in interventional bronchoscopy
• Device-specific characteristics in interventional bronchoscopy
• General knowledge on patient selection and case selection in the developing field of lung cancer screening and early stage lung cancer treatment selection

Learning outcomes

Following this course, participants will be able to demonstrate the ability to independently conduct a navigational bronchoscopy procedure. This includes:

• Identifying patients suitable for navigation bronchoscopy
• Designing a clinical work-up that should enable a navigation bronchoscopy program
• Distinguishing the different navigation guidance techniques, and defining pros and cons of each technique
• Performing different navigation bronchoscopy techniques
• Performing different biopsy techniques
• Interpreting navigation technique results and drawing conclusions

Target audience

• Pulmonologists
• Interventional pulmonologists
• Thoracic surgeons involved in endoscopy-based diagnostic procedures

Accreditation

This event has been accredited with 20 CME credits by the European Board for Accreditation in Pneumology (EBAP). The number of credits that you will receive will correspond to the number of days you attend the course.