Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration [EBUS-TBNA] for diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar masses

Objective: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy of Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration [EBUS-TBNA]

---

Study Design: A cross-sectional validation study

---

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Histopathology, Army Medical College, in collaboration with Department of Pulmonology, Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from March 2014 to March 2015

---

Methodology: Cases of EBUS-TBNA comprised of both TBNAs and cell block/biopsy of the same patients. Diagnosis was made on the TBNA slides and cell block/biopsy material. Taking biopsy/cell block as the gold standard, the data was analysed to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy of EBUSTBNA

---

Results: The sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA was found to be 96.5%; whereas, specificity and positive predictive values were 100%. The negative predictive value was calculated at 50%. Diagnostic accuracy of the procedure was found to be 96.67%

---

Conclusion: EBUS-TBNA is a sensitive and a specific test and is accurate in diagnosing mediastinal and hilar pathologies