Role of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma: Experience of a single institution in China.

Objective:   To evaluate diagnostic yield and the safety of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for mediastinal/hilar lymph nodes and intrapulmonary masses.

Methods:   Between July 2009 and February 2010, 95 patients with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy and/or intrathoracic peritracheal or peribronchial masses detected with computed tomography underwent EBUS-TBNA. One hundred and twelve samples were obtained from lymph nodes (LNs) and 11 samples were obtained from intrapulmonary lesions. All patients had cytological evaluation by smears and/or tissue evaluation of aspiration specimens.

Results:   Out of the 95 patients, 60 had lung cancer, 58 of these patients were diagnosed using EBUS-TBNA without onsite cytology assistance, false negative in 2 cases. Sensitivity the of convex probe EBUS-TBNA method in distinguishing benign from malignant lymph nodes or thoracic mass was 96.67%. In the absence of any major complications the procedure was uneventful.

Conclusions:   EBUS-TBNA seems a safe and effective technique in the diagnosis making bronchogenic carcinoma for mediastinal/hilar lymph nodes (LNs) and intrapulmonary masses.