IQQA-Guide Surgical Navigation System

IQQA-Guide represents EDDA Technology’s core surgical navigation system, designed to provide intra-operative precision 3D guidance for procedures involving thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic soft organs. The system received FDA clearance in November 2015 and NMPA approval in China in January 2020, making it one of the few soft-tissue navigation platforms with dual regulatory clearance in both markets.

Product Overview

Unlike conventional surgical navigation systems that focus primarily on rigid anatomy (bone), IQQA-Guide addresses the more complex challenge of soft tissue navigation. The system extracts fully quantified, patient-specific anatomic models from multimodality imaging data (CT, MRI), then uses these models for real-time 3D navigation during surgical procedures.

The platform enables physicians to “see through” organ surfaces and quantitatively reference anatomies of interest in three dimensions during surgery. This capability proves particularly valuable in interventional procedures targeting tumors within solid organs where precise needle placement is critical for treatment success.

Key Features

Designed for soft tissue intervention guidance, IQQA-Guide uses CT and MRI fusion to deliver real-time 3D navigation for liver, kidney, and lung procedures—applied across 100,000+ cases in the IQQA platform.

• Multimodality Image Integration: Processes CT, MRI, and other imaging data to create detailed 3D anatomic models
• Real-time 3D Navigation: Provides on-the-fly guidance with quantitative anatomical referencing during procedures
• Soft Tissue Tracking: Addresses the specific challenges of deformable organ navigation
• CT Scan Reduction: Clinical studies suggest the system may reduce intra-operative CT scan requirements
• Patient-Specific Modeling: Generates fully quantified anatomic models tailored to individual patient anatomy

Technical Specifications

Designed for soft tissue intervention, IQQA-Guide fuses CT and MRI inputs for real-time 3D navigation across liver, kidney, lung, and pelvic soft tissues within the integrated IQQA platform ecosystem.

Clinical Applications

IQQA-Guide supports a range of interventional and surgical procedures:

Oncology

• Percutaneous tumor ablation (radiofrequency, microwave, cryoablation)
• Biopsy needle guidance for deep-seated tumors
• Treatment planning verification during procedures

Interventional Radiology

• Image-guided needle placement
• Catheter and probe positioning
• Real-time procedure monitoring

Thoracic Surgery

• Lung nodule localization
• Mediastinal procedure guidance

The system has been deployed in over 100,000 clinical cases through the broader IQQA platform, with primary applications in liver, kidney, and lung cancer management.

Regulatory Status

IQQA-Guide obtained qualification for China’s National Medical Device Innovation “Green Channel” expedited review pathway, recognizing its innovative approach to soft tissue surgical navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What procedures can IQQA-Guide support?

IQQA-Guide supports surgical and interventional procedures involving thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic soft organs. Common applications include liver biopsy, lung nodule localization, kidney tumor ablation, and general soft tissue intervention guidance.

How does IQQA-Guide differ from bone navigation systems?

While orthopedic and neurosurgical navigation systems rely on rigid anatomy for accurate tracking, IQQA-Guide addresses the more complex challenge of soft tissue navigation where organs can deform during procedures. The system uses multimodality imaging fusion and patient-specific 3D modeling to maintain accurate guidance despite tissue movement.

Does IQQA-Guide require intra-operative CT scanning?

Clinical studies presented at WICO 2015 suggested that IQQA-Guide may help reduce the requirement for intra-operative CT scans during image-guided procedures, potentially lowering radiation exposure and procedure time.