Role of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma.

Abstract

e17534 Background: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a technique of minimally invasive endoscopic staging and of great interest for the identification and staging of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes in patients with suspected and/or known bronchopulmonary neoplasm. This study was to evaluate diagnostic yield and the safety of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma. Methods: Between July, 2009 and Feb, 2010, 95 patients with mediastinal / hilar lymphadenopathy and /or intrathoracic peritracheal or peribronchial masses previously detected with CT scan underwent EBUS-TBNA. No rapid onsite cytology was performed. Results: In all 95 patients, 60 cases of patients were newly diagnosed lung cancer through the pathological examination and clinical follow-up certification. In 60 lung cancer cases, 112 samples were obtained from lymph nodes (LNs) and 11 samples were obtained from intrapulmonary lesions. 58 cases of patients were diagnosed in 60 lung cancer cases, false negative in 2 cases. Sensitivity and specificity of EBUS-guided TBNA method in distinguishing benign from malignant LNs or thoracic masses was 96.67% and 100%, respectively. In absence of any major complication, the procedure was uneventful. Conclusions: EBUS-TBNA seemed a safe and effective technique in making bronchogenic carcinoma diagnosis for mediastinal/hilar LNs and intrapulmonary masses.