Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Introduces Robot-Assisted Lung Cancer Detection Technology

A leading Abu Dhabi hospital has introduced a robot-assisted device to help boost lung cancer detection as part of a cutting-edge drive to improve patient care and save lives. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has become the first in the Middle East to use a high-tech bronchoscopy tool that allows doctors to make swift and accurate diagnoses without the need for open surgery. The Monarch platform enables access to the smallest lung nodules – round masses of tissue that can be cancerous – in a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed in 30 to 75 minutes under general anaesthetic. It is used by doctors to guide a flexible endoscope deep into the lungs to access nodules that may previously been out of reach. The technology has been rolled out with the support of Abu Dhabi's Department of Health. As well as supporting early identification of lung cancer at stage 1 – where the five-year survival rate exceeds 70 per cent, it can be used to diagnose lung nodules arising from cancer that has metastasised to the lungs, benign lung nodules, infections such as tuberculosis, and inflammatory lung diseases. “By investing in advanced, technology-enabled solutions, we are redefining patients’ experience through safer, less invasive care while also enhancing diagnostic accuracy,” said Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, chief executive of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. الدكتور زيد زعمط، رئيس قسم طب الرئة والجهاز التنفسي في معهد رعاية المشافي المتكاملة في كليفلاند كلينك أبوظبي، يؤكِّد أنَّ إطلاق منصة MONARCH يرسِّخ اعتماد أساليب العلاج الموجَّه لسرطان الرئة، ويوفِّر رعاية أكثر أماناً ونتائج سريرية أفضل. pic.twitter.com/XCwqLunbIQ — مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) July 28, 2026 “Robotically-assisted bronchoscopy represents a breakthrough in how we detect and diagnose lung disease,” said Dr Zaid Zoumot, division chair of pulmonary medicine at Cleveland Clinic's Integrated Hospital Care Institute. “For the first time, we can precisely access and biopsy even the smallest, most difficult-to-reach lung nodules, enabling diagnosis at earlier stages where lung cancer is most treatable, and outcomes are better.” How does Monarch work? The Monarch platform was developed by Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in healthcare technology. “The key takeaway is that you are now able to diagnose nodules that you would not have been able to diagnose before,” said Peter Lane, surgery general manager for the Middle East and Africa at Johnson & Johnson MedTech. “You end up with nodules that are very peripheral on the lung and very hard to reach. You wouldn’t have been able to get there with traditional technology.” The platform uses a patient’s CT scan to create a three-dimensional map of the lungs and airways to identify the best route to the target lesion. Doctors then guide the bronchoscope through the lungs while watching its progress on a screen, before taking the biopsy. “It creates a whole navigation system, shows all of the lungs and airways, maps out the best route and give