Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration with an echobronchoscope in undiagnosed mediastinal lymphadenopathy: First experience from India

Utility of Narrow-band Imaging Bronchoscopy in the Diagnosis of Endobronchial Sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

There are few reports on the utility of bronchoscopic narrow-band imaging (NBI) for visualizing endobronchial abnormalities in sarcoidosis. Our primary objective was to compare the sensitivity of finding endobronchial abnormality using NBI versus white light bronchoscopy (WLB) in patients with sarcoidosis. The secondary aim was to evaluate the sensitivity of NBI in diagnosing endobronchial sarcoidosis against a reference standard of positive endobronchial biopsy (EBB).

METHODS

We retrospectively included subjects with sarcoidosis, where we sequentially recorded WLB and NBI videos to visualize the endobronchial mucosa. We collected data on the demographic findings, sarcoidosis stage, and the histopathological findings of transbronchial needle aspiration, EBB, and transbronchial lung biopsy. Three experienced bronchoscopists viewed the video recordings and noted the abnormalities of the airway mucosa separately on WLB and NBI.

RESULTS

We included 28 subjects (mean age, 42.9 y; 53.6% men; 14 each, stages 1 and 2) with a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Granulomas were detected on EBB in 11 (39.3%) subjects. We identified endobronchial nodules in 10 and 15 subjects on WLB and NBI. The sensitivity of finding endobronchial abnormality using WLB and NBI was 35.7% (10/28) and 53.6% (15/28), respectively (χ 2 =1.77, df=1, P =0.18). The sensitivity of NBI in diagnosing endobronchial sarcoidosis against a positive EBB was 63.6% (7/11 subjects). There was excellent agreement (Κ=0.86) for detecting nodules on NBI among the 3 observers.

CONCLUSION

NBI might allow the identification of additional abnormalities not detected on WLB in sarcoidosis. Larger studies are required to confirm our observations.

Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition of lung masses: a case series with systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The diagnosis of intraparenchymal lung masses is challenging when lesions are located at sites inaccessible through bronchoscopy or endobronchial ultrasound. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition (TA)-fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or fine-needle biopsy-provides a potentially useful diagnostic tool for lesions located adjacent to the esophagus. This study was conducted to analyze the diagnostic outcome and safety of EUS-guided tissue sampling of lung masses.

Methods

Data were retrieved for patients who underwent transesophageal EUS-guided TA between May 2020 and July 2022 at 2 tertiary care centers. A meta-analysis was performed after pooling these data with studies obtained from a comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, and ScienceDirect from January 2000 to May 2022. Pooled event rates across studies were expressed with summative statistics.

Results

After screening, 19 studies were identified and, after their data had been combined with those of 14 patients from our centers, a total of 640 patients were included in the analysis. The pooled rate of sample adequacy was 95.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 93.1-97.8), while the pooled rate of diagnostic accuracy was 93.4% (95%CI 90.7-96.1). The pooled rate of adverse events with transesophageal EUS-guided TA from lung masses was 0.7% (95%CI 0.0-1.6%). There was no significant heterogeneity with respect to various outcomes and results were comparable on sensitivity analysis.

Conclusions

EUS-FNA offers a safe and accurate diagnostic modality for the diagnosis of paraesophageal lung masses. Future studies are needed to determine the needle type and techniques for improving outcomes.

Evaluation of the Utility of Liquid-based Cytology, Cell-blocks, and Flow Cytometric Immunophenotyping on Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Samples in the Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

There is little information on the value of different processing methods for samples obtained during endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in suspected sarcoidosis. We evaluated the role of conventional smears, liquid-based cytology (LBC), cell-blocks and flow cytometric immunophenotyping in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis using EBUS-TBNA samples.

METHODS

This was a prospective study of consecutive EBUS-TBNA samples from clinically suspected cases of sarcoidosis. In addition to conventional smears, we prepared LBC smears, cell-blocks, and performed flow cytometric evaluation of the CD4:CD8 ratio. The final diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made based on the relevant clinical details and laboratory investigations including the results of transbronchial and endobronchial biopsies (TBLB and endobronchial biopsy).

RESULTS

We included 60 subjects [mean age: 45.2 y; 29 (48.3%) men]. The sensitivity of conventional smears, LBC, and cell-blocks for diagnosing sarcoidosis was found to be 75.5%, 37.8%, 35%, respectively, when used alone. However, on combining conventional and LBC smears, the sensitivity increased to 84.4% and on combining all three techniques, the sensitivity was 86.7%. The CD4:CD8 ratio on flow cytometric immunophenotyping of EBUS-TBNA samples ranged from 0 to 11.5 with a mean of 3.17±2.78 in confirmed cases of sarcoidosis and 70% of these cases had CD4:CD8 ratio of more than 2.

CONCLUSION

Cell-blocks and liquid-based preparations add to the yield of conventional preparation of EBUS-TBNA samples in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. A combination of conventional and LBC works well in detecting almost 85% of the cases of sarcoidosis. Higher CD4:CD8 ratio favors a diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

Deep Learning Using Endobronchial-Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Image to Improve the Overall Diagnostic Yield of Sampling Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy

Lung cancer is the biggest cause of cancer-related death worldwide. An accurate nodal staging is critical for the determination of treatment strategy for lung cancer patients. Endobronchial-ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has revolutionized the field of pulmonology and is considered to be extremely sensitive, specific, and secure for lung cancer staging through rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE), but manual visual inspection on the entire slide of EBUS smears is challenging, time consuming, and worse, subjective, on a large interobserver scale. To satisfy ROSE’s needs, a rapid, automated, and accurate diagnosis system using EBUS-TBNA whole-slide images (WSIs) is highly desired to improve diagnosis accuracy and speed, minimize workload and labor costs, and ensure reproducibility. We present a fast, efficient, and fully automatic deep-convolutional-neural-network-based system for advanced lung cancer staging on gigapixel EBUS-TBNA cytological WSIs. Each WSI was converted into a patch-based hierarchical structure and examined by the proposed deep convolutional neural network, generating the segmentation of metastatic lesions in EBUS-TBNA WSIs. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research on fully automated enlarged mediastinal lymph node analysis using EBUS-TBNA cytological WSIs. We evaluated the robustness of the proposed framework on a dataset of 122 WSIs, and the proposed method achieved a high precision of 93.4%, sensitivity of 89.8%, DSC of 82.2%, and IoU of 83.2% for the first experiment (37.7% training and 62.3% testing) and a high precision of 91.8 ± 1.2, sensitivity of 96.3 ± 0.8, DSC of 94.0 ± 1.0, and IoU of 88.7 ± 1.8 for the second experiment using a three-fold cross-validation, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed method significantly outperformed the three state-of-the-art baseline models, including U-Net, SegNet, and FCN, in terms of precision, sensitivity, DSC, and Jaccard index, based on Fisher’s least significant difference (LSD) test (p<0.001). For a computational time comparison on a WSI, the proposed method was 2.5 times faster than U-Net, 2.3 times faster than SegNet, and 3.4 times faster than FCN, using a single GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, respectively. With its high precision and sensitivity, the proposed method demonstrated that it manifested the potential to reduce the workload of pathologists in their routine clinical practice.

Transitioning to Combined EBUS EUS-B FNA for Experienced EBUS Bronchoscopist

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) combined with trans-esophageal endoscopic ultrasound bronchoscope guided fine need aspirate (EUS-B FNA) of mediastinal lymph nodes is an established procedure for diagnosis. The main barrier to a combined EBUS EUS-B FNA approach is availability of trained and accredited pulmonologist who can perform procedure safely and confidently. To address this gap, we undertook a training program for experienced EBUS bronchoscopists to train, learn, and incorporate combined EBUS EUS-B FNA into their procedural practice. Thirty-two patients were selected based on CT and or PET findings. Four experienced bronchoscopists participated by reading through learning material, observing 5 cases before performing EUS-B FNA under direct supervision. Forty-one lymph nodes and 6 non-nodal lesions were sampled. EUSAT assessment was performed by supervisor. Learning curves were derived from assessment scores. We observed that learning curve tends to plateau when participant can perform 3 or more consecutive cases with EUSAT score above 50. There were no complications. Our experience suggests that there is relative ease in transition to combined EBUS EUS-B TBNA procedures for mediastinal lymphadenopathy and lung cancer diagnosis and staging for experienced bronchoscopist using a program which incorporates direct supervision, EUSAT assessment, and extension of EUS B FNA training into daily real-world practice.

Thoracic endosonography (EBUS/EUS-b) in the diagnosis of different intrathoracic diseases: A 4-year experience at a single-centre in Greece

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, the advent of thoracic endosonography has revolutionised the field of diagnostic bronchoscopy.

METHODS

We conducted a single-centre prospective study in "Sotiria" Chest diseases hospital between January 2016 and December 2019. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and diagnostic value of combined EBUS/EUS-b in comparison with EBUS-TBNA and EUS-b FNA in different intrathoracic diseases.

RESULTS

A total of 266 patients were enrolled (70.7% males, 85.7% smokers, mean age ± SD: 62.8 ± 11.8). Diagnosis and staging of suspected lung cancer (LC) were the main indications for EBUS/EUS-b in 56.7% of patients, followed by lymphadenopathy of unknown origin in 27%, lymphadenopathy in previous malignancy in 10.9%, and staging of proven LC in 5.3%. EUS-b FNA alone or combined with EBUS-TBNA was performed in 14.7% of patients. A total of 512 lymph nodes was sampled (481 through EBUS-TBNA and 31 through EUS-b FNA). EBUS/EUS-b led to a definitive diagnosis in 68.4% of the patients. Most cases (50.4%) were malignancies, while 18% represented benign diseases (83.3% sarcoidosis). Sensitivity of combined EBUS/EUS-b was higher in comparison with sensitivity of both procedures alone (100% vs 89.4% vs 88.9%). Accordingly, the overall sensitivity of EBUS/EUS-b for the detection of malignancy and sarcoidosis was 93% and 95.2%, respectively. No severe complications were observed.

CONCLUSION

Thoracic endosonography is an efficient, safe, minimally invasive tool yielding high sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected malignancy and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Experienced pulmonologists in EBUS-TBNA should more routinely perform EUS-b FNA to avoid unnecessary surgical interventions.

Processing and Reporting of Cytology Specimens from Mediastinal Lymph Nodes Collected using Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: A State-of-the-Art Review

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is presently the preferred modality for sampling mediastinal lymph nodes. There is an unmet need for standardization of processing and reporting of cytology specimens obtained by EBUS-TBNA. The manuscript is a state-of-the-art review on the technical aspects of processing and reporting of EBUS-TBNA specimens. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed database, and the available evidence was discussed among the authors. The evidence suggests that at least one air-dried and one alcohol-fixed slide should be prepared from each lymph node pass. The remaining material should be utilized for microbiological analysis (in saline) and cell block preparation (10% formalin or other solutions). Wherever available, rapid-onsite evaluation should be performed to assess the adequacy of the sample and guide the need for additional material. The lymph node aspirate should also be collected in Roswell Park Memorial Institute solution in cases where lymphoma is under consideration. The use of liquid-based cytology provides good quality specimens that are free from blood and air-drying artifacts and can be used wherever available. Sample adequacy and the diagnostic category should be furnished separately in the cytology report.

Diagnostic Utility and Safety of Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in the Elderly

BACKGROUND

There is limited evidence regarding the effect of age on the specimen adequacy, positivity rate of specimen on cytology (PR), and safety of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA). The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of EBUS-TBNA in the elderly.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of subjects who underwent EBUS-TBNA. We compare the specimen adequacy, PR, and the incidence of complications in the elderly (age 65 y and above) versus the younger subjects (age younger than 65 y). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting the diagnostic yield.

RESULTS

Of the 1816 subjects, 258 (14.2%) were elderly. The specimen adequacy was similar between the old and the young (93.5% vs. 96.3%, P=0.053). The PR in the elderly (48.8%) was lower (P<0.001) than the younger subjects (66.7%). Among those with a definite diagnosis made on EBUS-TBNA, 55.4% of the older subjects had malignancy, while 82.4% of the young had granulomatous disorders. The incidence of complications was similar in the 2 groups (3.9% vs. 4.4%, P=0.87). The specimen adequacy, PR and complications were also similar among the different age groups within the older population (65 to 69, 70 to 74, 75 to 79, and 80 y and above). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, the number of lymph nodes sampled, the lymph node size, and needle reuse influenced the PR.

CONCLUSION

EBUS-TBNA appears to have a similar specimen adequacy and safety but a lower PR in the elderly as compared with the younger individuals.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: Techniques and Challenges

Intrathoracic lymphadenopathy is a common problem encountered in clinical practice and is caused by a wide variety of diseases. Traditionally, the mediastinal lymph nodes were sampled using conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), or surgical methods such as mediastinoscopy, and thoracotomy (open or video-assisted thoracoscopy). However, surgical modalities including mediastinoscopy are invasive, expensive, and not universally available. Moreover, they are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Conventional TBNA although minimally invasive has a low diagnostic yield. In the last decade, endobronchial ultrasound-guided TBNA (EBUS-TBNA) has emerged as the diagnostic procedure of choice in evaluating undiagnosed intrathoracic lymphadenopathy. EBUS-TBNA is also currently the preferred modality in the mediastinal staging of lung cancer. The procedure is minimally invasive, safe, and can be performed as a day-care procedure. In the era of personalized medicine in lung cancer, optimizing the procedure, sample collection, and processing are crucial, as more tissue is required for performing a wide array of molecular tests. Despite its widespread use and acceptance, the diagnostic sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA is still low. To maximize the yield, cytologists and physicians should be aware of the technical details of the procedure. Herein, we discuss the technique of performing EBUS-TBNA, its indications, contraindications, and the processing of the samples at our bronchoscopy suite. We also highlight the challenges faced by the cytologists and clinicians while processing EBUS aspirates.

Bronchoscopic techniques in the management of patients with tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to prevent Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission. Bronchoscopy can play a primary role in pulmonary TB diagnosis, particularly for suspected patients with scarce sputum or sputum smear negativity, and with endobronchial disease. Bronchoscopic needle aspiration techniques are accurate and safe means adopted to investigate hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in cases of suspected TB lymphadenopathy. Tracheobronchial stenosis represents the worst complication of endobronchial tuberculosis. Bronchoscopic procedures are less invasive therapeutic strategies than conventional surgery to be adopted in the management of TB-related stenosis. We conducted a non-systematic review aimed at describing the scientific literature on the role of bronchoscopic techniques in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with TB. We focused on three main areas of interventions: bronchoscopic diagnosis of smear negative/sputum scarce TB patients, endobronchial TB diagnosis and treatment and needle aspiration techniques for intrathoracic TB lymphadenopathy. We described experiences on bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial washing, and biopsy techniques for the diagnosis of patients with tracheobronchial and pulmonary TB; furthermore, we described the role played by conventional and ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of suspected hilar and mediastinal TB adenopathy. Finally, we assessed the role of the bronchoscopic therapy in the treatment of endobronchial TB and its complications, focusing on dilation techniques (such as balloon dilation and airway stenting) and ablative procedures (both heat and cold therapies).

Transesophageal bronchoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA)-Pushing the boundaries in the diagnosis

Isolated mediastinal adenopathy is a diagnostic challenge in the paediatric population, often requiring invasive surgical procedures for diagnosis. We describe a novel minimally invasive modality in a 20 month toddler-transesophageal bronchoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA). This is the youngest reported use of this modality, highlighting feasibility, technical issues, safety, and rapid diagnosis leading to expedited treatment.

Diagnostic Yield and Complications of EBUS-TBNA Performed Under Bronchoscopist-directed Conscious Sedation: Single Center Experience of 1004 Subjects

BACKGROUND

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) can be performed under either conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Herein, we describe the diagnostic yield and complications of EBUS-TBNA performed under bronchoscopist-directed conscious sedation.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of data collected in the bronchoscopy suite of this center on EBUS-TBNA or endoscopic ultrasound with a bronchoscope-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) procedures performed between July 2011 and January 2016. All procedures were performed under bronchoscopist-directed conscious sedation with midazolam and pentazocine. The diagnostic yield, sample adequacy rate, complications, and doses of sedative agents are presented.

RESULTS

Of the total 1005 EBUS-TBNA/EUS-B-FNA procedures performed during the study period, 1004 were performed under conscious sedation in spontaneously breathing subjects [mean (SD) age, 45.9 (15.8) years; 378 (37.6%) women]. The mean (SD) doses of midazolam and pentazocine used were 2.53 (1.8) mg and 30.9 (6.9) mg, respectively. The diagnostic yield of the procedure (972 subjects) was 61.2%. Complications related to EBUS were observed in 60 (5.9%) subjects. Majority of them were minor and self-limiting; major complications occurred in 11 (1.1%) subjects and included respiratory failure requiring assisted ventilation (n=6), arrhythmia (n=3), and hypotension (n=2). Escalation of the level of care was needed in only 8 (0.8%) subjects.

CONCLUSION

EBUS-TBNA/EUS-B-FNA performed under bronchoscopist-guided conscious sedation was found to be safe and is associated with a reasonable diagnostic yield.

Diagnostic evaluation of mediastinal lesions: Analysis of 144 cases

Background:

Mediastinum is a “Pandora's box” with many neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions. The purpose of this study was to analyze our institutional experience of mediastinal lesions on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and/or biopsy.

Materials and Methods:

This study was an analysis of 144 patients who had undergone ultrasound-guided FNAC and/or core biopsy for mediastinal lesions.

Results:

A total of 144 cases of suspected mediastinal masses were seen, and in 139 cases, tissue diagnosis was attempted. Out of 139 cases, 93 cases were neoplastic in nature (67%), 32 were nonneoplastic (23%), and 14 remained inconclusive (10%). Among neoplastic mediastinal lesions, metastatic carcinoma (37.4%) was the most common neoplastic lesion, followed by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (12.2%), Hodgkin's lymphoma (7.1%), thymic lesions (3.5%), etc. Among nonneoplastic conditions, tuberculosis was the most common lesion (20.1%). An accurate tissue diagnosis was made in 89.9% cases by FNAC or core biopsy of mediastinal lesions in this study. Procedure-related mortality was nil. Complications were mostly minor and included chest pain in 24.5%, small pneumothorax in 13.6% requiring closed tube thoracostomy in 1.4%, and scanty hemoptysis in 9.3% cases.

Conclusion:

Neoplastic mediastinal lesions are more common than nonneoplastic lesions, with metastatic carcinoma being the most common cause followed by tuberculosis. A wide variety of lesions observed in this study stress on the importance of cytohistological diagnosis in all cases of mediastinal lesions for the final diagnosis and management planning. A guided FNAC or core biopsy is still accurate, well tolerated, and devoid of major complications.

Role of radial endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules: Case report and literature review

The diagnosis of pulmonary nodules can be made using several methods including computed tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA), radial endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided sampling techniques (transbronchial lung biopsy [TBLB], transbronchial brush, bronchoalveolar lavage, or transbronchial needle aspiration [TBNA]), or occasionally with convex probe (CP) EBUS-TBNA. While CT-guided FNA is associated with a high (25%) rate of pneumothorax, the CP-EBUS cannot reach lesions beyond the interlobar region. Radial EBUS-guided TBLB and transbronchial brushing are excellent modalities in the evaluation of peripheral pulmonary lesions. However, these techniques cannot access lesions that are located adjacent to the proximal segmental bronchus, due to the presence of a cartilaginous wall. Herein, we describe a 58-year-old man, who presented with a lung nodule in the right middle lobe, wherein radial EBUS-guided TBNA proved to be the most appropriate diagnostic modality. We also discuss the current utility of radial EBUS-guided TBNA in day-to-day practice.

Minimally Invasive Methods for Staging in Lung Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a procedure that provides access to the mediastinal staging; however, EBUS cannot be used to stage all of the nodes in the mediastinum. In these cases, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is used for complete staging. Objective. To provide a synthesis of the evidence on the diagnostic performance of EBUS + EUS in patients undergoing mediastinal staging. Methods. Systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic yield of EBUS + EUS compared with surgical staging. Two researchers performed the literature search, quality assessments, data extractions, and analyses. We produced a meta-analysis including sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio analysis. Results. Twelve primary studies (1515 patients) were included; two were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and ten were prospective trials. The pooled sensitivity for combined EBUS + EUS was 87% (CI 84-89%) and the specificity was 99% (CI 98-100%). For EBUS + EUS performed with a single bronchoscope group, the sensitivity improved to 88% (CI 83.1-91.4%) and specificity improved to 100% (CI 99-100%). Conclusion. EBUS + EUS is a highly accurate and safe procedure. The combined procedure should be considered in selected patients with lymphadenopathy noted at stations that are not traditionally accessible with conventional EBUS.

A multicenter study on the utility and safety of EBUS-TBNA and EUS-B-FNA in children

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and endoscopic ultrasound with an echobronchoscope-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) are useful modalities in the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in adults; however, there is sparse data in children. The aim of this multicenter study is to describe the efficacy and safety of EBUS-TBNA and EUS-B-FNA in children with mediastinal lymphadenopathy of undefined etiology.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of consecutive pediatric (<18 years) subjects who underwent EBUS-TBNA or EUS-B-FNA for the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The demographic characteristics, indications, procedural details, pathological, cytological and microbiological diagnosis, diagnostic yield, and complications are presented.

RESULTS

Of the 3,424 EBUS/EUS-B-FNA procedures, 67 (1.9%) were performed in the pediatric (3-17 years) population. Of these, 19 (28.4%) were performed in children ≤12 years of age. Overall, EBUS-TBNA and EUS-B-FNA were performed in 53 and 12 subjects, respectively. In two subjects, no significant lymph node was seen on EBUS. The procedure was performed under moderate sedation in spontaneously breathing subjects in 54 (80.6%) instances. An adequate sample was obtained in 60 (92.3%) subjects while a diagnostic sample was obtained in 37 (56.9%) of the 65 subjects. The diagnostic yield was not significantly different (P = 0.59) between EBUS-TBNA (58.5%) and EUS-B-FNA (50%). The sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA/EUS-B-FNA was 79.1% and led to a change in diagnosis in 28 (41.8%) subjects. Complications, all minor were encountered in six (8.9%) subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

EBUS-TBNA and EUS-B-FNA are safe techniques with a good diagnostic yield in the evaluation of children with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:1031-1039. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Yield of new versus reused endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration needles: A retrospective analysis of 500 patients

Background:

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) requires a dedicated needle for aspiration of mediastinal lesions. There is no data on reuse of these needles.

Methods:

This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA with either new or reused EBUS-TBNA needles. The needles were reused after thorough cleaning with filtered water and organic cleaning solution, disinfection with 2.4% glutaraldehyde solution followed by ethylene oxide sterilization. The yield of EBUS-TBNA was compared between the two groups.

Results:

A total of 500 EBUS-TBNA procedures (351 new, 149 reused needles) were performed. The baseline characteristics were different in the two groups with suspected granulomatous disorders (sarcoidosis or tuberculosis) being significantly more common in the new compared to the reused needle group. Similarly, the median, interquartile range number of lymph node stations sampled, and the total number of passes were significantly higher in the new versus the reused needle group. The diagnostic yield was significantly higher with new needle as compared to reused needle (65.2% vs. 53.7%, P = 0.02). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, clinical suspicion of granulomatous disorders (odds ratio 1.86 [95% confidence interval, 1.20-2.87], P = 0.005) was the only predictor of diagnostic yield, after adjusting for the type of needle (new or reused), total number of passes and the number of lymph node stations sampled. No case of mediastinitis was encountered in either group.

Conclusions:

The yield of EBUS-TBNA might be similar with single reuse of needles as compared to new needles. However, reuse of needle should be performed only when absolutely necessary.

Endoscopic ultrasound (with an echobronchoscope)-guided fine-needle aspiration for diagnosis of a mediastinal lesion in a mechanically ventilated patient: A case report and systematic review of the literature

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is routinely used for accessing mediastinal lymph nodes and masses. However, in patients with respiratory failure, who are being mechanically ventilated through an endotracheal tube, EBUS-TBNA may not be feasible due to several reasons. In such patients, the esophageal route offers a useful alternative for accessing mediastinal lesions. Herein, we describe a 50-year-old man with a mediastinal mass, who was being invasively ventilated for respiratory failure. Endoscopic ultrasound (with an echobronchoscope)-guided fine-needle aspiration was performed, which revealed a diagnosis of small cell carcinoma. Appropriate cancer chemotherapy resulted in successful liberation of the patient from mechanical ventilation. We have also performed a systematic review of literature for reports of endoscopic diagnostic procedures for mediastinal/hilar lesions in critically ill patients.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of thyroid: Report of two cases and systematic review of literature

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive and safe technique for a sampling of mediastinal lesions. Indications for EBUS-TBNA have gradually expanded since its introduction. The usual approach to cytological sampling of the thyroid gland is percutaneous ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) performed under local anesthesia. US-FNA may be risky or not feasible in intrathoracic/substernal thyroid location. Feasibility of aspirating thyroid lesions with EBUS-TBNA has been occasionally reported. We report two patients wherein EBUS-TBNA was utilized for thyroid lesion aspiration and definitive diagnosis. We highlight the utility and safety of EBUS-TBNA in the evaluation of intrathoracic thyroid lesions wherein image-guided percutaneous aspiration may be risky/sometimes impossible to perform. A systematic review of literature has also been performed summarizing and discussing the issues pertaining to EBUS-TBNA of the thyroid gland.

Agreement of Mediastinal Lymph Node Size Between Computed Tomography and Endobronchial Ultrasonography: A Study of 617 Patients

BACKGROUND

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is the preferred minimally invasive technique for the evaluation of intrathoracic lymphadenopathy. Enlarged lymph nodes on computed tomography (CT) are defined as those 1 cm or larger in short-axis diameter. Whether there is agreement between the measurements of lymph node size on CT and EBUS remains unknown.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from patients who underwent EBUS-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) for intrathoracic lymphadenopathy. The diameters of lymph nodes were measured in an axis perpendicular to the airway on both CT and EBUS. The correlation and agreement between the two measurements were analyzed.

RESULTS

During the study period, 617 patients (mean age, 46.0 years [standard deviation, 15.2]), of whom 239 (38.7%) were women, underwent EBUS. A total of 1,153 lymph nodes were measured by CT and EBUS. Although there was a moderate correlation between the two modalities for lymph node size (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.49, p < 0.001), the limits of agreement between CT and EBUS were wide (mean bias, 0.1; limits of agreement, -15.6 to 15.9 mm). The limits of agreement were wide for all categories of lymph nodes (benign vs malignant, distinct vs indistinct margin, and ≤2-cm vs >2-cm nodes).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a significant correlation between CT of the chest and EBUS for measuring the size of intrathoracic lymph nodes, the limits of agreement were fairly wide enough to be clinically acceptable for allowing the use of the two modalities interchangeably for this purpose.