Maryann Todman

Papers

Total Citations

191

H-Index

About

Maryann Todman is a pioneering interventional pulmonologist whose work has reshaped the diagnosis of small peripheral pulmonary nodules. Her primary research focuses on robotic-assisted bronchoscopy and advanced navigation systems for early lung cancer detection. Todman led the first human trials of a novel robotic-assisted fiber optic sensing navigation system, demonstrating its ability to access tiny, hard-to-reach nodules in the lung’s periphery with unprecedented precision. Her landmark 2019 study, cited 177 times, showed that the system’s real-time visualization and stable catheter positioning achieved a high diagnostic yield while maintaining an excellent safety profile. This work directly addressed a critical gap in bronchoscopy, where conventional tools often fail to biopsy small lesions. Todman’s earlier 2017 study laid the groundwork by confirming the system’s safety and feasibility. Her contributions have been instrumental in bringing robotic bronchoscopy from concept to clinical practice, offering patients a minimally invasive alternative to more risky procedures. For students and researchers, Todman exemplifies how translational research can solve real-world clinical challenges, and her work continues to influence the design of next-generation pulmonary navigation technologies.