[Efficiency of endobronchial ultrasonography in the diagnosis of peripheral lung masses].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficiency of endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) in the diagnosis of peripheral lung masses.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The investigation enrolled 38 patients, including 34 males; their mean age was 63.8+/-15.8 years. Bronchoscopy was carried out under local anesthesia in all the patients in their sitting position, by using a flexible endoscope, along with transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). During the study, a 20 mHz radial scanning ultrasonic miniprobe was successively introduced into the working channel of a bronchoscope through the ostium into the preselected bronchi. If the peripheral mass could be located by EBUS, after withdrawing the probe, TBLB was performed using biopsy forceps.

RESULTS

EBUS could locate a pathological mass and perform TBLB in 34 (89.5%) of the 38 cases. The cumulative efficiency of TBLB was seen in 63.2% (24/38) patients: there was adenocarcinoma in 16 (42.1%) cases, squamous cell carcinoma in 6 (15.8%), hamarthoma in 1 (2.6%), and tuberculoma in 1 (2.6%). The predictors of biopsy efficiency were tumor sizes above 20 mm; bronchial drainage as shown by computed tomography; the central position of a miniprobe about the mass, the proximal position of a mass about the bronchial ostium; a less than one-and-a-half-minute study; smoking index.

CONCLUSION

Endobronchial ultrasonography is an effective and safe method for controlling endoscopic lung biopsy in peripheral lung masses.