Lung cancer is the most lethal type of cancer in the United States, causing an estimated 158,599 deaths in 2006. The primary risk factor for lung cancer is tobacco use, and measures to reduce smoking are believed to have the greatest potential to reduce lung cancer mortality. However, it also appears that long-term survival improves with early detection of non-small cell tumors, which make up approximately 75% of lung cancer cases. To detect lung cancer, suspicious lumps and nodules that develop within and around the lungs must be examined. For most patients, this requires fiberoptic bronchoscopy, in which a lighted tube is passed into the lung, which allows for a biopsy to collect a sample of the abnormal tissue for histopathological examination. Since tuberculosis, partial lung collapse, and other conditions can cause benign lesions that do not require surgery, minimally invasive biopsy methods have been developed. However, lesions beyond the reach of the bronchoscope can be inaccessible. Further, the more invasive techniques tend to cause more complications.