Core Biopsy System Seeks Out Potential Lung Cancer

A new minimally invasive endobronchial biopsy system can extract multiple lung core tissue samples with just a single pass.

The Medtronic GenCut Core Biopsy System allows pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons to collect multiple core samples from lesions deep inside the lungs. Due to the proprietary blade design, the core biopsy system can shear and collect larger intact samples, providing pathology laboratories with tissue that enables combined cytology, histology, and molecular profiling. The system is intended for use via a flexible endoscope or in conjunction with the superDimension navigation system, which enables a minimally invasive approach to accessing difficult-to-reach areas of the lung.


The system consists of a core biopsy tool, an extension tube, a locking syringe, and a tissue removal brush. The core biopsy tool itself is comprised of a polymeric shaft with steel braid reinforcement and a stainless steel side-cutting tip; the extension tube connects to the proximal end of the core biopsy tool shaft to allow users to apply suction via the locking syringe. Once sampling is completed, the tissue removal brush can be inserted through the shaft to collect any remaining tissue not expelled through aspiration. The Medtronic GenCut Core Biopsy System and superDimension navigation system are products of Medtronic (Dublin, Ireland).

“Lung cancer diagnostic clinicians consistently state that tissue is the issue; when performing a biopsy, they need enough tissue for the pathologist to make a diagnosis and to ensure undamaged tissue for genetic testing and molecular analysis,” said Chuck Brynelsen, president of the early technologies business at the Medtronic minimally invasive therapies group. “As lung cancer drugs and therapies advance, the ability to provide earlier diagnosis and earlier, personalized treatment can potentially save lives.”

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung by process of metastasis into nearby tissue or other parts of the body. Primary lung cancers are carcinomas that derive from epithelial cells, with the main types being small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). The most common symptoms are coughing (including coughing up blood), weight loss, shortness of breath, and chest pains.

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