ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of using magnetic beads to locate small pulmonary nodules.MethodsTwelve rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, 6 in each group. One group underwent thoracotomy after anesthesia and the other group underwent percutaneous puncture under the guidance of X-ray. One and two cylindrical tracer magnets (magnetic beads) with a diameter of 1 mm and a height of 3 mm were injected adjacent to the imaginary pulmonary nodules in left lung in each group. The magnetic beads beside the imaginary nodules were attracted by a pursuit magnet with a diameter of 9 mm and a height of 19 mm. The effectiveness of localization by magnetic beads were determined by attraction between tracer and pursuit magnets.ResultsAll processes were uneven in 12 rabbits. There was micro hemorrhage and no hematoma in the lung tissue at the injection site of the magnetic beads. When tracked with the pursuit magnets, there was one bead divorce in cases that one bead was injected, but no migration or divorce of the magnetic beads in cases that two magnetic beads were simultaneously injected to localize the small pulmonary nodules.ConclusionThe feasibility of using magnetic beads to locate small pulmonary nodules has been preliminarily verified.