We performed this study to evaluate the role of endobronchial ultrasound−guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS−TBNA) in the pathologic diagnosis of lung cancer including lung masses as well as lymph nodes as targets.

We retrospectively reviewed 126 patients who underwent EBUS−TBNA to diagnose radiologically suspected lung cancer. The patients had masses or lymph nodes that were highly suspicious for malignancy and accessible by EBUS−TBNA.

EBUS−TBNA was performed on 195 lesions (lymph nodes, n=151; lung masses, n=44). In 61 cases, other diagnostic methods had failed previous to EBUS−TBNA. In 118 patients, no definite endobronchial mucosal tumor invasion was observed. In eight patients with endobronchial tumor invasion, EBUS−TBNA was chosen due to tumor bleeding, necrosis, or difficult location for endobronchial biopsy. EBUS−TBNA confirmed 105 lung cancers, five other malignancies and six specific benign cases, demonstrating a diagnostic yield of 92.1% (116/126). Nine cases were diagnosed by other methods (lung cancer, n=2; other malignancies, n=2; benign cases, n=5). One case that was not confirmed by any diagnostic method was considered false negative. The sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of EBUS−TBNA in the diagnosis of lung cancer were 97.2% (105/108) and 97.6% (123/126), respectively.

EBUS−TBNA targeting lymph nodes or masses highly suspicious for malignancy demonstrated high diagnostic value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. EBUS−TBNA is recommended for these cases, especially when other diagnostic methods have failed or are difficult. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMID: 20138390 [PubMed − as supplied by publisher] Source: National Library of Medicine.