EBUS-TBNA for lung cancer in the apical segment of the right upper lobe using a new EBUS scope.

The applicability of ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for diagnosing central parenchymal tumors has been well established; however, lesions requiring puncturing under extreme angulation, especially the apical segment of the right upper lobe lesions, are often inaccessible with EBUS scopes. We report two cases of centrally located lung cancer in the apical segment of the right upper lobe. Case1. A 77-year-old man presented to the outpatient clinic with right chest pain. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed a nodular shadow measuring 24 mm in the central part of the apical segment of the right upper lobe. EBUS-TBNA was performed using a novel EBUS scope (EB-710US, Fujifilim) and provided the diagnostic material for small cell lung cancer. Case 2. A 59-year-old man was referred to our hospital after a routine health check-up revealed an abnormal shadow in the right upper lung field on chest radiography. Chest CT revealed centrally located lesions measuring 22 mm in diameter in the apical segment of the right upper lobe. EBUS-TBNA was performed using the new EBUS scope, which provided the diagnosis of squamous cell lung cancer. We herein report two cases of centrally located lung cancer in the apical segment of the right upper lobe bronchus that were successfully diagnosed using a new EBUS scope.