Evaluation of 18FDG PET-CT-positive mediastinal-hilar lymph nodes in extrathoracic malignancies by EBUS-TBNA; correlation of SUVmax, and short-axis diameter with the final diagnosis

Introduction: Intrathoracic lymph node metastasis from extrathoracic neoplasms are rare. Primary malignancies that metastasize to mediastinal-hilar lymph nodes are head and neck , carcinoma breast ,and genitourinary. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA)/endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is currently the preferred modality for mediastinal lymph node sampling. Methods: Fifty seven patients with extrathoracic malignancies with maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of mediastinal-hilar lymph nodes greater than or equal to 2.5 were taken up for EBUS-TBNA. The histo-cytopathological results obtained from EBUS-TBNA were compared with SUVmax value and short-axis diameter of a lymph node as noted on EBUS. Results: Out of 74 sampled nodes, 49 (66.2%) were benign and 25 (33.8%) were malignant. The SUVmax range of benign nodes was 2.8� as compared to 3� of malignant nodes. The size range of malignant and benign nodes were 8� mm and 8� mm, respectively. The mean size of abnormal nodes (metastatic + granulomatous) was 17.5 (8� mm) and the mean SUVmax was 9.1 (3.4�), and it was a statistically significant difference when compared to reactive (normal) nodes. At SUVmax cut-off 7.5, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) were 78.5%, 81.2%, 84.6%, and 74.2%, respectively for detecting abnormal nodes. At 13 mm size cut-off, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV were 75.5%, 65%, 75%, and 72%, respectively, for detecting abnormal nodes. Conclusion: The majority of mediastinal-hilar nodes with increased metabolic activity are benign in nature. Size and SUVmax are poor predictors of metastasis in tuberculosis endemic region. There should be a restrictive attitude toward invasive diagnostic testing for mediastinal-hilar nodes in extrathoracic malignancies.

COMPARISON OF CT VIRTUAL BRONCHOSCOPY WITH FIBRE OPTIC BRONCHOSCOPY IN THE EVALUATION OF ENDO-BRONCHIAL LESIONS

Background: Virtual bronchoscopy is a noninvasive tool for assessing the airway. It can be used along with multiplanar CT scan for better assessment of endobronchial tree. A lot of researches has been conducted in various parts of the world weather CT bronchoscopy can replace actual flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. We aimed to explore the utility of virtual bronchoscopy (VB) for evaluation of tracheobronchial lesions and weather this can be helpful for pulmonologist for better assessment of airway while using real time flexible bronchoscopy. Our age group comprised of patients from 21 years to a maximum a Results : ge of 80 years with a mean age of 52.6 years. VB was better in detecting external compression with a Kappa value of 0.68. VB had a moderate agreement with FOB to detect endoluminal lesions with kappa value of 0.70. None of the mucosal changes detected by FOB was detected by VB. In detecting obstructive lesions VB substantially agreed with FOB with a kappa value of 0.8. Moderate agreement was seen by VB in detecting both malignant and non-malignant lesions vompared to FOB. Virtual bronchoscopy when used in conjunction with axial CT Conclusion: images can enhance diagnostic accuracy of bronchial pathologies. VB cannot replace conventional bronchoscopy due to associated disadvantages such as the inability to perform a biopsy, the inability to detect mucosal infiltration, the relatively low specificity rate when compared to high sensitivity rates, and the inability to offer real-time evaluation

Endobronchial Ultrasound Bronchoscopy in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure on Noninvasive Ventilation: Report of Two Cases

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) has simplified the direct examination of the lungs and is widely used for diagnosis and therapy. Fiberoptic bronchoscopes occupy a significant proportion of cross-section area of central airways, which can affect lung mechanics and gas exchanges that may lead to desaturation and cardiac arrhythmia. This makes bronchoscopy in critically ill patients with respiratory failure even more challenging. Use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) may help to avoid use of invasive mechanical ventilation in selected patients with acute respiratory failure. It has been shown to be useful in hypoxemic patients to facilitate bronchoscopic examination for bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial brushing, endobronchial biopsy (EBB), and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). Noninvasive mechanical ventilation has also been used to facilitate other endoscopic procedures including transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in hypoxemic patients. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscope, having a wider diameter than a conventional bronchoscope, may have a more pronounced effect on lung mechanics and gas exchanges, and its use in patients on NIV has not been reported. Contraindications of EBUS are mostly relative and similar to FOB. There are several studies suggesting the safety of NIV-supported FOB in hypoxemic patients. We describe our experience of the first two EBUS bronchoscopies and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) was done in hypoxemic patients with NIV support.

A rare case report of tracheobronchial aspergillosis with endobronchial aspergilloma in a patient clinically recovered from COVID-19

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has led to an increased incidence of fungal infections. However, pulmonary infections are rare. COVID-associated pulmonary aspergillosis has been reported; however, there is no prior report of tracheobronchial aspergillosis with endobronchial aspergilloma as per the authors' literature search. We report such a case of a 65-year-old male with radiology and biopsy-proven endobronchial aspergilloma upon a background of tracheobronchial and pulmonary aspergillosis after having recovered clinically from severe COVID-19 disease.

Endobronchial tuberculosis simulating a tumor: an interesting case report

Endobronchial tuberculosis(EBTB)is a special form of TB which is associated with significant morbidity and potential mortality. EBTBis the infection of tracheobronchial tree, and continues to remain challenging for clinicians to diagnose. The incidence of EBTBhas been reported to be 5.8% to 30% in people with pulmonary TB. 60-year-old male, chronic smoker presented with complaints of dyspnea, cough with expectoration and sore throat for 2 weeks. General examination showed patient to have pallor and respiratory system examination showeddecreased breath sounds in left infraaxillary region and bilateral crepitations. Routine blood investigations done showed decreased hemoglobin levels, elevated total leukocyte count, ESR. Sputum AFB was negative. Mantoux-15mm induration. Chest X-ray showed homogenous opacities over the left lower zone and elevated right diaphragm. CT thorax done showed a subsegmental peripheral soft tissue density 4.3×2.2 cm in the inferior lingula segment. Bronchoscopy showed whitish plaques over the anterior tracheal wall near carina and over left main bronchus. Endobronchial tissue growth seen occluding the lingula bronchus. Biopsy was taken and histopathology showed a granulomatous lesion, BAL Gene Xpert was positive for MTB. Patient was started on 3 tablets ATT. Clinicians need to be vigilant in patients who are AFB smear negative, with symptoms; bronchoscopy should be considered in those selected cases.

Diagnostic utility of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy combined with radial endobronchial ultrasound in peripheral pulmonary lesions / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the diagnostic value and safety of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy combined with radial endobronchial ultrasound in peripheral pulmonary nodules. Methods    The clinical imaging, surgical and pathological data of 60 patients with 76 peripheral pulmonary nodules who underwent electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy combined with radial endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsy in the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from June 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis rate and complications were analyzed and summarized. The 76 pulmonary nodules were divided into a small pulmonary nodules group (10 nodules, diameter≤1 cm) and a pulmonary nodules group (1 cm<diameter≤3 cm, 66 nodules) according to diameter. The two groups were compared in terms of operation and diagnosis rate. Results    Pulmonary nodules diameter was 1.8±0.6 cm, operation time 29.8±8.6 min, navigation 2.9±0.9 times, biopsy 9.5±1.9 pieces. In the 76 pulmonary nodules, 55 were confirmed by pathology, with a total diagnosis rate of 72.4%,  including 32 of malignant lesions and 23 of benign lesions. In the 76 pulmonary nodules, 59 had grade 0 hemorrhage, 17 had grade 1 hemorrhage, and none had grade 2 or more serious hemorrhage. Eight patients developed pneumothorax after surgery, and the degree of lung compression was less than 30%, which was improved after symptomatic treatment with oxygen inhalation. The operation time in the small pulmonary nodules group was significantly longer than that in the pulmonary nodules group, and there was no significant difference in diagnosis rate or complications between the two groups. Conclusion    Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy combined with radial endobronchial ultrasound is a safe and effective method for the diagnosis of periphery pulmonary nodules, and it also has a high diagnostic rate for small pulmonary nodules (≤1 cm), which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Eficacia del ultrasonido endobronquial con aspiración por aguja fina en el diagnóstico de lesiones hiliares y mediastinales / Efficacy of endobronchial ultrasound with fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lesions

RESUMEN Introducción: El ultrasonido endobronquial lineal con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina es una técnica novedosa para el diagnóstico de tumores y ganglios mediastínicos e hiliares. Objetivo: Evaluar la eficacia diagnóstica de ultrasonido endobronquial lineal con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina como método de estudio de lesiones hiliares y mediastinales. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo con carácter prospectivo en 49 pacientes a los que se le realizó ultrasonido endobronquial lineal con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina. Resultados: El diagnóstico se obtuvo mediante la histología y resultaron positivos 48 pacientes, de ellos 45 fueron positivos por el ultrasonido endobronquial lineal con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina y 4 negativos por este estudio. El resultado global de la investigación mostró una sensibilidad de 93,8 %, especificidad 100 %, valor predictivo positivo de 100 % y predictivo negativo 25 %. De esta manera, el índice de validez de ultrasonido endobronquial lineal con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina fue de 93,8 %. El número de complicaciones fue mínimo. Conclusiones: El ultrasonido endobronquial lineal con aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina constituye un método diagnóstico eficaz y seguro en el estudio de pacientes que presentan lesiones hiliares y mediastinales con alta sospecha de cáncer de pulmón y a su vez, una alternativa de acceder al mediastino de manera no cruenta para la estadificación ganglionar.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Linear endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial fine needle aspiration is a novel technique for the diagnosis of tumors and mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of linear endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial fine needle aspiration as a method of studying hila and mediastinal lesions. Methods: A prospective descriptive study was carried out in 49 patients who underwent linear endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial fine needle aspiration. Results: The diagnosis was obtained by histology and 48 patients were positive, 45 of them resulted positive by linear endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial fine needle aspiration and 4 resulted negative by this study. The overall result of the investigation showed a sensitivity of 93.8%, specificity 100%, a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 25%. Thus, the validity index of linear endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial fine needle aspiration was 93.8%. The number of complications was minimal. Conclusions: Linear endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial fine needle aspiration is an effective and safe diagnostic method in the study of patients with hilar and mediastinal lesions with high suspicion of lung cancer and, consecutively, it is an alternative to access the mediastinum in a non- invasive approach for lymph node staging.

Burkholderia pseudomallei infection manifests as mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy: A case report

Rationale: This case report presents the diagnosis and etiology of hilar/mediastinal lymphadenopathy in a male patient. Patient concerns: A 49-year-old man presented with fever and dyspnea after physical exertion. Diagnosis: The patient was diagnosed with melioidosis by cultivation of lymph node aspirate on blood agar using the VITEK 2 compact system. Interventions: The patient was treated with ceftazidime intravenously, combined with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole orally for 1 week. Once the patient was discharged, he began a 12-week course of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Outcomes: The patient recovered after treatment with ceftazidime and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Conclusions: Melioidosis is an infectious disease that mainly occurs in tropical regions. It can cause severe sepsis and pneumonia, and the infection in some patients may become chronic. Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration is a useful technique in the diagnosis of patients with hilar/mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Diagnosis and treatment progress on airway anastomotic stenosis after lung transplantation / 器官移植

Lung transplantation is the only effective treatment of most end-stage lung diseases. Airway anastomotic complications are the main obstacles affecting the postoperative survival and quality of life of lung transplant recipients. Airway anastomotic stenosis is the most common airway anastomotic complication after lung transplantation. In recent years, improvements in the recipient selection, organ preservation, surgical techniques, postoperative intensive care management, immunosuppression, antifungal and endoscopic treatment have decreased the incidence of airway anastomotic stenosis and improved the surgical efficacy of lung transplantation and the survival of the recipients. In this article, the pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of airway anastomotic stenosis after lung transplantation were reviewed, aiming to provide novel ideas for clinical research, diagnosis and treatment of airway anastomotic stenosis following lung transplantation.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration can improve the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography in hilar and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy

Context: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) are the two most extensively used methods for the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. Aims: The present study was designed to compare the diagnostic performance of EBUS-TBNA with that of PET/CT in patients with hilar and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Settings and Design: We compared the accuracy of EBUS-TBNA with that of PET/CT in the diagnosis of hilar and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy and evaluated the diagnostic utility of EBUS-TBNA in patients with PET/CT false-positive and false-negative findings. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 85 patients with hilar and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy who underwent EBUS-TBNA and PET/CT between January 2014 and December 2017. The accuracy of EBUS-TBNA histopathology and cytopathology was evaluated and compared with PET/CT scan findings. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA combined with PET/CT was significantly higher than that of the single diagnostic method (P < 0.001). Among PET/CT-negative lymph nodes, 4 of 9 (44.4%) malignant lymph nodes were identified by EBUS-TBNA. Among PET/CT-positive lymph nodes, 43 of 47 (91.5%) benign lymph nodes were diagnosed by EBUS-TBNA. Conclusions: EBUS-TBNA combined with PET/CT could effectively reduce false-positive and false-negative rates in the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, which might provide accurate staging, determine optimum therapeutic strategy and improve survival in patients with lung cancer.

Diagnostic Value of Transbronchial Ultrasound-guided Needle Aspiration Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#As a new technique developed in recent years, endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has the advantages of simple operation, minimal invasive, high accuracy, safety and repeatability. It has become a new standard for lung cancer diagnosis and mediastinal staging. Because small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have different biological characteristics and treatment methods, it is very important to diagnose and differentiate the types of lung cancer in the early stage of lung cancer for the staging, treatment and prognosis of lung cancer. This article evaluated the accuracy and sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of SCLC and NSCLC.@*METHODS@#From January 2012 to December 2018, the clinical data of 85 patients with SCLC and NSCLC who performed EBUS-TBNA in Xuan Wu Hospital CMU were retrospectively analyzed and the differences between the two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#45 cases of SCLC were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and pathology. 42 cases of SCLC were diagnosed by EBUS-TBNA. The accuracy and sensitivity of diagnosis were 93.3% (42/45) and 100.0% (42/42), respectively. The positive rate of diagnosis was 48.9% (22/45) in 22 cases diagnosed by cytology, and 40 cases diagnosed by pathology, including 35 cases diagnosed by EBUS-TBNA. The accuracy and sensitivity of diagnosis were 87.5% (35/40) and 100.0% (35/35), respectively. The positive rate of diagnosis was 27.5% (11/40) in 11 cases diagnosed by cytology. The diagnostic sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA in SCLC group was significantly higher than that in NSCLC group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EBUS-TBNA is more sensitive in the diagnosis of SCLC than NSCLC. As a minimally invasive technique, EBUS-TBNA can assist SCLC in early diagnosis and timely treatment.

Research Advances in the Diagnostic Value of Rapid On-site Evaluation in Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Lung Cancer / 中国医学科学院学报

Rapid on-site evaluation(ROSE),an auxiliary sampling quality evaluation technology,can be used to evaluate the adequacy and diagnostic category of samples,judge the histological type of lung cancer,and optimize the gene type of lung cancer.Applying ROSE to endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of suspected lung cancer can improve the puncture success rate and diagnostic rate and reduce complications and puncture attempts.Rose performed via remote cytopathology technology or by trained respiratory specialists may become the future trends.

Citología aspirativa con aguja fina transbroncoscópica guiada por ultrasonido endobronquial / Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology

Introducción: El enfrentamiento diagnóstico de las lesiones sospechosas de cáncer pulmonar ha cambiado en los últimos años. Objetivo: Describir el primer caso diagnosticado en Cuba de carcinoma de pulmón por aspiración transbronquial por aguja fina guiada por ultrasonografía endobronquial. Presentación del caso: Se presenta un caso de carcinoma indiferenciado de células pequeñas. El diagnóstico se obtiene mediante la realización de una citología aspirativa con aguja fina de ganglios mediastinales, transbroncoscópica y guiada por ultrasonido endobronquial. Conclusiones: El uso de EBUS-TBNA es una herramienta con un alto rendimiento diagnóstico, con escasas complicaciones descritas y debe considerarse como una posibilidad en el estudio de lesiones adyacentes a la vía aérea central(AU)

Introduction: The diagnostic confrontation of lesions suspected of lung cancer has changed in recent years. Objective: To describe the first case of lung carcinoma, diagnosed in Cuba by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology. Case report: A case of undifferentiated small cell carcinoma is reported. Diagnosis is obtained by performing a fine needle aspiration cytology of the mediastinal lymph nodes, transbronchoscopic and guided by endobronchial ultrasound. Conclusions: The use of EBUS-TBNA is a tool with high diagnostic yield, with few described complications and should be considered as a possibility in the study of lesions adjacent to the central airway(AU)

Utility of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) with rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) for the molecular classification of progressive breast cancer / Utilidad de la aspiración transbronquial con aguja guiada por ultrasonido endobronquial con evaluación rápida in situ para la clasificación de cáncer de mama progresivo

Abstract Evidence of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in extrathoracic malignancy is limited but emergent. The technique plays a vital role in the diagnosis of mediastinal lesions, staging, and restaging of lung cancer. Its usefulness for the evaluation and molecular classification of progressive breast cancer is described in 7 patients. Stations 7, 11L, and 11R were punctured. Cellblocks, immunohistochemistry and digital analysis were developed in 100% of the cases for molecular classification. This procedure requires multidisciplinary evaluation, image analysis, and evaluation of the general condition of the patient, as well as the risks and benefits. Additionally, it is essential teamwork with a pathology group that performs the rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE), in order to ensure the quality of the samples and molecular characterization.

Resumen Evidencia de la aspiración transbronquial con aguja guiada por ultrasonido endobronquial en malignidad extratorácica es limitada pero emergente. Esta técnica desempeña un papel vital en el diagnóstico de lesiones mediastinales, estadificación y reestadificación del cáncer pulmonar. Se describe su utilidad para la evaluación y la clasificación molecular del cáncer de mama en progresión de siete pacientes. Se puncionaron las estaciones (ganglionares) 7, 11L y 11R. Se desarrollaron bloques celulares, inmunohistoquímica y análisis digital en el 100% de los casos para clasificación molecular. Este procedimiento requiere una evaluación multidisciplinaria, análisis de imágenes y la evaluación del estado general de la paciente, lo mismo que los riesgos y los beneficios. Adicionalmente, es esencial el trabajo conjunto con un grupo de patología que realice la evaluación rápida en sala (ROSE), para así asegurar la calidad de las muestras y la caracterización molecular.

The role of EBUS-TBNA in the systematic evaluation of lymph node staging and resectability analysis in non-small cell lung cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the role of endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in lymph node staging and resectability assessment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).@*Methods@#The clinical data of 154 patients with NSCLC who underwent EBUS-TBNA from March 2015 to December 2018 were collected. All accessible mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes were systematically explored and punctured using EBUS-TBNA. EBUS-TBNA and CT were used for preoperative staging and resectability evaluation.@*Results@#The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EBUS-TBNA were 94.2%, 100.0% and 96.0%, respectively, while those of CT were 89.9%, 31.8% and 72.0%, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EBUS-TBNA in lymph nodes with short diameter less than 15 mm were 92.4%, 100.0% and 96.0%, respectively, while those of CT were 80.7%, 34.8% and 60.1%, respectively, with statistical differences (P<0.05). The staging of 62 patients was changed, 27 cases were up-regulated and 35 cases were down-regulated. Among them, 32 cases had been changed to resectable. The evaluating resectability of EBUS-TBNA showed excellent consistency with that of pathological results (Kappa=0.95). The sensitivity and specificity were 100.0% and 97.2%, respectively.@*Conclusion@#EBUS-TBNA can systemically evaluate the metastatic status of NSCLC patients and improve the accuracy of preoperative lymph node staging and resectability assessment.

The clinical value of endobronchial ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of medias-tinal and hilar lymph nodes / 中国肿瘤临床

Objective: Four ultrasound elastography parameters were used to compare the color distribution of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes (LNs) in endobronchial ultrasound real-time elastography (EBUS-RTE), and the clinical value in differentiating benign from malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes were explored. Methods: We selected patients who received EBUS-TBNA in the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2016 to December 2018 and simultaneously conducted EBUS-RTE. Elastography of lymph nodes were analyzed by elastography image type, elasticity score, strain ratio (SR), and blue color proportion (BCP), respectively. A re-ceiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate the diagnostic value of the four ultrasound elastography pa-rameters. The area under the curve (AUC) and the critical value of the best diagnosis were calculated, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the four parameters were compared. Results: A total of 80 pa-tients were enrolled, including 152 lymph nodes with 102 malignant lymph nodes and 50 benign ones. Elastography image type, elas-ticity score, SR, and BCP had statistical significance in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lymph nodes (P<0.01). The ac-curacy of BCP in the diagnosis of benign and malignant lymph nodes was the highest (88.3%), and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 90.0%, 94.1%, 85.4%, and 88.6%, respectively. The optimal definition value of BCP was 85.7%; all the 65 LNs with a BCP≥85.7% were diagnosed as malignant. Conclusions: Elastography image type, elasticity score, SR, and BCP of ultrasound elastography are important in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes, and BCP showed the highest diagnostic valuation.

Diagnostic Utility of Virtual Bronchoscopic Navigation Assisted Endobronchial Ultrasonography with Guide Sheath for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) assisted endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath (EBUS-GS) has reduced the difficulty and even avoiding radiation exposure during performing transbronchus lung biopsy (TBLB). To evaluate the feasibility and safety of virtual bronchoscopic navigation assisted endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath for peripheral pulmonary lesions.@*METHODS@#We performed a retrospective analysis of the patients with PPLs who received VBN assisted EBUS-GS-TBLB in Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2016 to December 2017. Their clinicopathologic data and complications were assessed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 121 patients were enrolled in the study. The patients included 65 men and 56 women, with a mean age of (58.8±10.3) years. A total of 121 PPLs were examined, and 108 lesions of which could be detected by EBUS. The overall diagnostic yield of EBUS-GS was 73.5%. The diagnostic yield of malignancy was 82.5%. The combination of transbronchial lung biopsy, brush smear and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid provided the greatest diagnostic yield (χ²=6.084, P=0.014). Factors that significantly affected and predicted diagnostic success were EBUS probe within the lesions (χ²=20.372, P=0.000) and PPLs located in the central two-thirds of the lung (χ²=10.810, P=0.001). 1 patient (0.8%) suffered from intraoperative bleeding which could be managed under endoscopy.@*CONCLUSIONS@#VBN assisted EBUS-GS-TBLB for PPLs was an effective and safe procedure.

Next Steps after Negative Results Obtained by EBUS-TBNA from Patients Suspected Clinically Lung Cancer with Mediastinal Lymphnode Metastasis / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is well known as an important technique for diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. But a standard protocol to deal with patients who have a negative pathology result still needs to be defined. Herein, we describe the subsequent procedures of these patients in a single center.@*METHODS@#A total of 1,412 patients with clinical suspected lung cancer and mediastinal metastasis who underwent EBUS-TBNA were collected between September 2010 and December 2016. Among them, 51 patients with nonspecific pathology result were included and retrospectively analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The 51 patients were stratified into five groups by clinical characterize and follow-up procedures: (1) Diagnosed by other bronchoscopy procedures group (9 cases). Abnormalities of tracheobronchial tree were found during visual examination in the majority of patients (8 cases). Biopsy, endobronchial brushing, bronchoalveolar lavage, and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) were used to get a specific diagnosis. (2) EBUS-TBNA re-biopsy group (11 cases). Patients in this group had normal mucosal appearance and airway lumen. Re-biopsy were performed on patients in this group. (3) Surgery group (6 cases). Patients underwent surgery after negative result of EBUS-TBNA. Five of them were confirmed with non-nodal metastasis after surgery. (4) Underwent other pathology diagnosis group (15 cases). patients in this group had other metastasis sites besides midiastinal lymph node. Computed tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle aspiration and lymph node biopsy were performed. (5) Follow-up group (10 cases). None invasive procedure was used in this group. The median follow up time was 38 months. One patient was diagnosed lymphoma during the follow up.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Diagnostic procedures should be chosen based on the clinical character in EBUS-TBNA negative patients with suspected lung cancer. Long time follow-up is very important in patients whose diagnosis is apparently unknown.