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.
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.