Original Article on Training Program of IP Fellowship (Section Editor: Hans Lee)


Improved diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy in peripheral pulmonary lesions: combination of radial probe endobronchial ultrasound and rapid on-site evaluation

Chia-Hung Chen, Wen-Chien Cheng, Biing-Ru Wu, Chih-Yu Chen, Wei-Chun Chen, Te-Chun Hsia, Wei-Chih Liao, Chih-Yen Tu, Chuen-Ming Shih, Wu-Huei Hsu, Ko-Pen Wang

Abstract

Background: Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of cytologic specimens is a useful ancillary technique in needle aspiration procedures of pulmonary/mediastinal lesions, but few reports had been carried out to confirm the utility in the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) by radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS).
Methods: To evaluate the impact of ROSE on the diagnostic yield of R-EBUS for PPLs, we retrospectively analyzed the diagnostic yields of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) or brushing using R-EBUS for patients with PPLs in a tertiary university hospital from December 2012 to December 2014.
Results: A total of 815 patients with PPLs were included. A definite diagnosis was made by R-EBUS-guided TBB or brushing for 627 patients (76.9%). A total of 279 patients (34.2%) were examined by a ROSE technique. The combination of R-EBUS guided TBB or brushing with ROSE raised the diagnostic yield in the diagnosis of PPLs, especially difficult cases: right apical and left apical-posterior segment locations, small PPLs <3 cm without bronchus signs on computed tomography (CT) scan, PPLs with pleural effusions, and the position of probe is not within.
Conclusions: ROSE can improve the PPLs diagnostic yield when using R-EBUS guided TBB or brushing.

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