Regarding Manuscript entitled: “EUS-guided FNA of centrally located lung tumours following a non-diagnostic bronchoscopy”: [Annema J.T., Veseliç M, Rabe K.F. Lung Cancer 2005;48(3):357–361

Abstract

Trans-oesophageal endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) provides an overview of mediastinal structures, including the para-tracheal space, the sub-carinal region, the aortico-pulmonary window and the para-oesophageal space [1,2]. During the past decade several studies have demonstrated the utility of EUS-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA) in lung cancer staging [3—10]. In most of the studies the patients had either an established diagnosis of lung cancer and mediastinal spread (stage T4and/or N2-3 disease) located adjacent to oesophagus suspected by CT, or a solid mediastinal lesion of unknown origin outlined by CT. The reported sensitivity of EUS-FNA in such patients is around 90% for mediastinal malignancy. In addition, some studies have demonstrated, that