Experiences and benefits of positron emitted tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the diagnosis of Stage 1 sarcoidosis / 浙江大学学报(英文版)(B辑:生物医学和生物技术)
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B
;
(12): 410-415, 2007.
Article
in English
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-308988
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The purpose of this study was to describe our experiences and analyze the benefits of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) combined with positron emitted tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of patients with early (Stage 1) sarcoidosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From 1995 to 2006, seven patients (two males, five females), with ages ranging from 26 to 58 years, were impressed with Stage 1 sarcoidosis (mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes involvements without lung involvement) by histological examination of intrathoracic lymph nodes (LNs) and/or lung parenchyma taken from VATS biopsy. Three of them received PET or PET-CT evaluation. VATS was approached from the right and left side in one and six patients, respectively, according to the locations of their lesions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the VATS biopsied LNs or lung specimens were adequate for establishing diagnosis. Mediastinal LNs were taken from Groups 3, 4 in four, Group 7 in two, and Groups 5, 6 in one of them. Hilar LNs biopsies were performed in four cases. Lung biopsy was performed in all but two cases. All of them were expressed pathologically or radiologically as Stage 1 sarcoidosis. PET-CT revealed high emission signals over these affected LNs. These patients received oral steroid treatment or follow up only. All of them were followed up from 5 months to 11 years with satisfactory results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VATS biopsy is a minimally invasive, safe and effective procedure. It can be used as a diagnostic alternative of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), and can harvest larger and more areas of specimens than mediastinoscopy for staging patients with sarcoidosis. PET-CT can provide us more accurate information about the characteristics and localization of these lesions before biopsy. VATS combined with PET-CT can provide more accurate and earlier diagnosis of patients with unknown intrathoracic lesions, including the sarcoidosis.</p>
Full text:
Available
Index:
WPRIM (Western Pacific)
Main subject:
Pathology
/
Sarcoidosis
/
Biopsy
/
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
/
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
/
Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted
/
Positron-Emission Tomography
/
Diagnosis
/
Lymph Nodes
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B
Year:
2007
Type:
Article
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