内镜超声引导下细针穿刺活检对纵隔和腹腔淋巴结结核的诊断价值

背景:结核病在中国的发病率居高不下,纵隔和腹腔淋巴结结核由于临床表现的非特异性以及活检取材困难,确诊难度较大。目的:探讨内镜超声引导下细针穿刺活检(EUS-FNA)对纵隔和腹腔淋巴结结核的诊断价值。方法:选取襄阳市中心医院2013年7月至2014年1月疑诊淋巴结结核、肿大淋巴结位于纵隔或腹膜后的患者12例行EUS-FNA。穿刺物行组织学和细胞学检查,根据病理诊断结果予患者相应处理并随访。结果:肿大淋巴结回声呈多样性;12例患者经穿刺均得到理想的组织标本并获得组织学和(或)细胞学诊断,其中7例诊断为结核,4例为转移性腺癌,1例考虑孤立性纤维性肿瘤。无患者发生穿刺相关并发症。7例结核患者行抗结核治疗后疗效确切,4例转移性腺癌患者进一步检查均有阳性发现,1例孤立性纤维性肿瘤经手术证实。结论:EUS-FNA对纵隔和腹腔淋巴结结核是一种安全、有效的诊断方法,对淋巴结结核与转移癌的鉴别诊断具有重要意义。     

经食道内镜超声检查在纵隔和肺疾病诊断中的作用

目的 评价内镜超声(EUS)检查在纵隔和肺疾病诊断中的应用价值。方法 采用PENTAX FG-36UX内镜经食道超声检查纵隔疾病和肺癌30例。结果 对11例纵隔疾病EUS检查纵隔疾病的准确率为81．8％，内镜超声引导下细针吸取细胞学检查(EUS-FNA)5例，阳性率100％，准确率为100％。19例肺癌患者EUS检查既了解病变纵隔侵润情况、纵隔病变与周围脏器的关系，又明确纵隔淋巴结转移数目，EUS检查肺癌纵隔侵润的准确率为89．4％，行EUS-FNA6例，阳性率83．3％，准确率为100％。结论 EUS是一项先进、安全、对纵隔和肺疾病的临床诊断有较大帮助的检查手段。     

细针直径对内镜超声下胰腺实性占位穿刺诊断影响的研究

目的 研究不同细针直径对内镜超声(EUS)引导下细针穿刺(FNA)胰腺实性占位诊断的影响.方法 选择临床及影像学疑诊胰腺实性占位患者共37例,分别用19G和22G穿刺针进行穿刺.结果 EUS检出全部37例胰腺占位,16例患者经22G穿刺针行FNA,11例获得满意标本;21例患者经19G穿刺针行FNA,均获得满意标本.32例获得病理诊断,其中3例误诊为慢性胰腺炎.结论 EUS能有效检出胰腺占位,穿刺针大小为穿刺组织病理诊断成功的影响因素,慢性胰腺炎是影响病理诊断的重要因素.     

超声内镜引导下细针穿刺活检对纵膈和腹膜后淋巴结转移癌的诊断价值

[目的]探讨超声内镜引导下细针穿刺活检(EUS-FNA)对纵膈和腹膜后淋巴结转移癌的诊断价值,并评价EUS-FNA的安全性。[方法]收集经影像学检查发现有纵膈和(或)腹膜后淋巴结肿大怀疑恶性肿瘤转移,并伴或不伴实质或空腔脏器管壁占位的门诊和住院患者119例、共187处病灶行EUS-FNA,其中穿刺肿大淋巴结140个,穿刺实质或空腔脏器管壁占位47处。[结果]119例均接受了EUS-FNA,每部位平均穿刺3次。140个淋巴结和47处实质或空腔脏器病灶均可获得细胞学涂片,136个淋巴结和45处实质或空腔脏器病灶可获得组织学切片。119例中,EUS-FNA诊断阳性率95.0%(113/119),细胞学诊断阳性率92.4%(110/119),组织学诊断阳性率87.4%(104/119)。113例EUS-FNA阳性诊断中,80例为恶性肿瘤,不确定诊断者6例。EUS-FNA诊断恶性肿瘤41例,良性占位4例,2例诊断不明确。术后观察1例胸痛不适,2例轻微腹痛不适,其中1例合并一过性发热,均给予对症处理后好转,余未出现出血、穿孔等并发症。[结论]超声内镜可在一次操作中对多部位病灶进行EUS-FNA,获得病理学诊断;EUS-FNA对纵膈和腹膜后淋巴结转移癌的确诊具有肯定的价值;EUS-FNA可在实时超声监控下进行,安全性高,值得临床重视。     

内镜超声检查在胃癌诊断和分期中的临床应用

目的评价内镜超声检查(EUS)对胃癌患者术前诊断和分期的准确性,以指导临床治疗方案的选择。方法22例经胃镜加活检病理检查确诊(17例)和疑诊为胃癌但常规活检阴性的患者(5例),同时行EUS、腹部螺旋CT检查,疑诊者在EUS检查的同时行EUS引导下细针穿刺活检(FNAB)以明确诊断。确定肿瘤侵犯深度(T)、局部淋巴结转移(N)、周围及远处器官转移(M)等分期情况,并与手术及病理对照,以评价EUS对胃癌诊断及TNM临床分期的准确性。结果5例疑诊者行EUS引导下FNAB全部成功取得肿瘤组织,病理诊断腺癌4例,印戒细胞癌1例。1例术前EUS诊断为T1N0M0期的患者行内镜下黏膜切除术,其余患者全部行外科胃癌根治术。与手术和病理结果比较,EUS对于TNM分期诊断总的敏感性和特异性分别为T:84.9%,74.2%;N:92.1%,77.1%;M:63.4%,87.5%。螺旋CT对于胃壁是否增厚及N、M分期的敏感性和特异性分别为T:27.3%,75%;N:31.5%,100%;M:50%,100%。其中EUS对于T和N分期的敏感性较CT高(P<0.05)。结论EUS术前评价胃癌临床分期具有显著的优越性,尤其是对于肿瘤侵犯深度和局部淋巴结转移的诊断,对指导临床治疗方案的选择及术后随访具有重要的参考价值。     

内镜超声引导下细针穿刺活检术对影像学拟诊肝脏恶性肿瘤的诊断价值

目的 评价内镜超声引导下细针穿刺活检术(EUS-FNA)在影像学拟诊为肝脏恶性肿瘤患者中的临床应用价值.方法 回顾29例经影像学拟诊为肝脏恶性肿瘤行EUS-FNA检查患者的临床资料,总结细胞学、组织学、病理学诊断结果以及随访并发症发生情况.结果 29例共穿刺29处肝脏占位(尾状叶8处、左叶19处、右叶深部2处),穿刺32处非肝脏占位(胰腺9处、胆囊2处、胃壁1处、肺1处、右肾上腺1处、淋巴结18处).61处(100.0％)均能行细胞学检查,56处(91.8％,56/61)能行组织学检查,48处(78.7％,48/61)能行免疫组化检查.病理学诊断为原发性肝癌8例,其中1例肝脏病灶细胞学和组织学均无阳性发现,经同时肝门淋巴结细胞学明确诊断,其余7例(87.5％,7/8)肝脏病灶细胞学和组织学均为阳性;病理学诊断为转移性肝癌21例,肝脏病灶细胞学、组织学和病理学阳性率分别为76.2％(16/21)、85.7％(18/21)和100.0％(21/21),所有病变部位(包括肝脏、原发病灶和肿大淋巴结)的病理学阳性率达98.0％(48/49).所有患者未发生明显的并发症.结论 基于深部肝脏与贲门、胃和十二指肠的局部解剖关系,EUS-FNA对于肝脏尾状叶、左叶和右叶深部的恶性肿瘤有肯定的诊断价值,是经皮肝脏穿刺活检的重要补充,应受到临床重视.     

细针直径对内镜超声下胰腺实性占位穿刺诊断影响的研究

目的研究不同细针直径对内镜超声(EUS)引导下细针穿刺(FNA)胰腺实性占位诊断的影响。方法选择临床及影像学疑诊胰腺实性占位患者共37例,分别用19G和22G穿刺针进行穿刺。结果EUS检出全部37例胰腺占位,16例患者经22G穿刺针行FNA,11例获得满意标本;21例患者经19G穿刺针行FNA,均获得满意标本。32例获得病理诊断,其中3例误诊为慢性胰腺炎。结论EUS能有效检出胰腺占位,穿刺针大小为穿刺组织病理诊断成功的影响因素,慢性胰腺炎是影响病理诊断的重要因素。     

超声内镜诊断老年食管黏膜下肿瘤的准确性

目的探讨超声内镜诊断老年食管黏膜下肿瘤（SMTs）的准确性及价值。方法选择胃镜检查中存在食管黏膜下肿物的老年患者116例进行内镜超声检查（EUS），其中29例通过超声内镜引导细针穿刺（EUS—FNA）对肿瘤实施针吸活检，获得穿刺物临床病理珍断；14例通过手术获得术后临床病理诊断；将EUS诊断与病理诊断进行同一样本对照。结果在43例具有明确病理诊断的老年食管黏膜下肿物中，EUS诊断平滑肌瘤27例，平滑肌肉瘤4例，脂肪瘤3例，纵隔肿瘤6例，转移性淋巴结2例，淋巴结结核1例；病理诊断平滑肌瘤25例，平滑肌肉瘤6例，脂肪瘤3例，肺癌4例，淋巴瘤1例；转移性淋巴结3例，淋巴结结核1例。二者总符合率74．42％，其中食管壁内肿瘤诊断符合率94．12％，纵隔病变诊断符合率33．33％。结论通过EUS超声影像能够准确诊断老年食管壁内肿物的性质，纵隔肿瘤需根据EUS—FNA进行诊断。     

超声内镜引导下细针穿刺在消化系占位性病变诊断中的价值

目的 探讨超声内镜引导下的细针穿刺检查(EUS-FNA)在消化系占位性病变诊断中的价值.方法 2007年5月-2008年12月对68例患者行超声内镜检查及超声内镜引导下的细针穿刺检查,对比细胞学和(或)病理学检查结果与术后病理结果及随访结果.结果 EUS-FNA细胞取材成功率91.18%(62/68).其中病灶位于食管4例(6.45%,4/62),胃19例(30.65%,19/62),直肠19例(30.65%,19/62),肝脏3例(4.84%,3/62),纵隔4例(6.45%,4/62),淋巴结13例(20.97%,13/62).40例患者细胞学检查结果阳性,阳性率为64.52%(40/62).22例患者获得组织碎片或细条行病理学检查,组织获得率为35.48%(22/62),其中10例病理学检查结果阳性,阳性率为45.45%(10/22).与术后病理结果及长期随访结果对照,EUS-FNA对消化系占位性病变诊断的准确率为85.48%.敏感度为90.91%,特异度为100.00%,阴性预测值为57.14%,阳性预测值为100.00%.结论 在消化系占位性病变诊断中,EUS-FNA是一项安全、有效、准确的诊断及鉴别诊断方法,在细胞学诊断中具有重要临床价值.     

内镜超声检查在纵隔疾病和肺癌中的应用评价

目的 :评价内镜超声 (EUS)检查在纵隔疾病和肺癌中的应用价值。方法 :采用EUS检查胸腺瘤和肺癌各 1例并结合文献分析EUS在纵隔疾病和肺癌诊断中的作用及优缺点。结果 :1例胸腺瘤经EUS检查明确肿瘤的大小、发现肿块与浆膜粘连 ;1例肺癌行EUS检查 ,不仅了解了肿瘤的大小、转移淋巴结的数目 ,还明确了肿瘤与心脏、主动脉紧密粘连 ,因此 ,放弃手术 ,改用化疗。半年后复查 ,肿瘤明显缩小。说明EUS对纵隔病变和肺癌的定位、定性诊断具有很重要的作用 ,并可在EUS引导下经食管穿刺行淋巴结或肿瘤针吸活检进行肺癌诊断和分期。结论 :EUS是一项先进、安全、对纵隔疾病和肺癌的临床诊断有较大帮助的检查手段     

Analysis of subcarinal lymph nodes in (suspected) non-small-cell lung cancer after a negative transbronchial needle aspiration -- what's next? A preliminary report

BACKGROUND: Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of subcarinal lymph nodes (LN) has a variable yield. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has demonstrated a high accuracy in the analysis of enlarged subcarinal LN. OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA in the analysis of enlarged subcarinal LN previously staged tumor negative by TBNA. METHODS AND PATIENTS: In this retrospective study, we included all patients with (suspected) lung cancer and enlarged (>1 cm on CT) subcarinal LNs staged tumor negative by TBNA, who were subsequently staged by EUS-FNA. In addition, surgical-pathological information had to be available in those cases in which EUS-FNA was tumor negative. RESULTS: Subcarinal LN metastases were assessed by EUS-FNA in 10 of 14 patients (71%). In 1 patient granulomas without necrosis were found. The remaining 3 patients staged tumor negative by both TBNA and EUS-FNA had reactive LN tissue, which was confirmed by surgical-pathological staging. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of EUS in analyzing TBNA-negative LNs was 100% in all. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with (suspected) lung cancer and enlarged subcarinal LNs staged tumor negative by TBNA, additional staging by EUS-FNA confirmed subcarinal LN metastasis in 71% of the patients. These data suggest that for the analysis of the subcarinal LNs the real-time controlled technique of EUS-FNA is superior to the 'blind' technique of TBNA.     

Role of transesophageal endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of lung cancer

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Bronchoscopic methods fail to diagnose lung cancer in up to 30% of patients. We studied the role of transesophageal endosonography (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA; EUS-FNA) in such patients. DESIGN: Prospective study. The final diagnosis was confirmed by cytology, histology, or clinical follow-up. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-five patients (30 male and 5 female; mean age, 60.9 years; range, 34 to 88 years) with suspected lung cancer in whom bronchoscopic methods failed. Patients with a known diagnosis, recurrence of lung cancer, or mediastinal metastasis from an extrathoracic primary were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: EUS and guided FNA of mediastinal lymph nodes. RESULTS: The procedure was uneventful, and material was adequate in all. The final diagnosis by EUS-FNA was malignancy in 25 patients (11 adenocarcinoma, 10 small cell, 3 squamous cell, and 1 lymphoma) and benign disease in 9 patients (5 inflammatory, 2 sarcoidosis, and 2 anthracosis). Another patient with a benign result had signet-ring cell carcinoma diagnosed on pleural fluid cytology (probably false-negative in EUS-FNA). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values were 96, 100, 97, 100, and 90%, respectively. There were no complications. Reviewing the EUS morphology, the nodes were predominantly located in levels 7 and 8 of American Thoracic Society mediastinal lymph node mapping (subcarinal and paraesophageal region). In seven patients, the punctured nodes were < 1 cm (four malignant and three benign), which are difficult to sample by other methods. The malignant nodes had a hypoechoic, homogenous echotexture. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA is a safe, reliable, and accurate method to establish the diagnosis of suspected lung cancer when bronchoscopic methods fail, especially in the presence of small nodes.     

EUS-FNA and FDG-PET are complementary procedures in the diagnosis of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Transoesophageal endosonography with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) are now standard diagnostic procedures of the mediastinum. Our aim was to compare their value in the assessment of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes detected by computed tomography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients with a suspicion of cancer or a history of pulmonary, digestive, urogenital or mammary neoplasia and presenting with supracentimetric lymph nodes on computed tomography underwent whole body FDG-PET and EUS-FNA. Final diagnosis of malignancy was obtained by cytology, surgery or long-term follow-up. RESULTS: EUS-FNA showed a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for detection of malignancy of 793, 100 and 85%, respectively. The biopsy material was adequate for cytological examination in 37 patients. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET were 100, 54.5 and 87.5%, respectively. FDG-PET correctly diagnosed the primary site in 27 patients, and showed additional unknown extrathoracic metastatic sites in 15 patients. The five false positive results observed with FDG-PET consisted in a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, anthracosilicosis and reactive lymph nodes, respectively. The association of FDG-PET and EUS-FNA avoided more invasive procedures (mediastinoscopies or staging surgery) in 34 patients. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA and FDG-PET are complementary diagnostic procedures combining the high sensitivity of FDG-PET and the high specificity of EUS-FNA to accurately diagnose malignancy in enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes identified by CTscan. The combination of the two procedures in selected cases with pulmonary cancer or extra-thoracic tumours avoided more invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures.     

The accuracy of EUS-FNA in assessing mediastinal lymphadenopathy and staging patients with NSCLC.

Optimal management of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depends on tissue diagnosis and accurate staging. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is minimally invasive and provides cytological confirmation of malignant mediastinal disease. The aim was to assess the accuracy of EUS-FNA in cases of enlarged mediastinal lymphadenopathy (LN) of unknown aetiology and in the staging of NSCLC. A total of 52 consecutive patients with stage I-IIIb NSCLC or enlarged mediastinal LN of unknown aetiology underwent EUS-FNA. Negative results were confirmed with a surgical procedure: mediastinoscopy, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or lobectomy with systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection. In total, 34 patients had EUS-FNA performed for diagnosis, whilst the remaining 18 had EUS-FNA for staging. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy (95% confidence interval) were 93% (77-99), 100% (78-100), 100% (87-100), 88% (63-99) and 95% (84-99), respectively. When EUS-FNA was used in patients with NSCLC, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy were 92% (73-99), 100% (69-100), 100% (85-100), 83% (51-98) and 94% (80-99), respectively. For mediastinal LN of unknown aetiology, no malignant disease was missed. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is an accurate tool for assessing mediastinal lymph node involvement in nonsmall cell lung cancer and in the diagnosis of unexplained mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is a minimally invasive procedure that can be used as an adjunct or alternative to mediastinoscopy.     

Endoscopic ultrasound as a first test for diagnosis and staging of lung cancer: a prospective study

RATIONALE: Multiple tests are required for the management of lung cancer. OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) was evaluated as a single test for the diagnosis and staging (thoracic and extrathoracic) of lung cancer. METHODS: Consecutive subjects with computed tomography (CT) findings of a lung mass were enrolled for EUS and results were compared with those from CT and positron emission tomography scans. RESULTS: Of 113 subjects with lung cancer, EUS was performed as a first test (after CT scan) for diagnosis in 93 (82%) of them. EUS-FNA established tissue diagnosis in 70% of cases. EUS-FNA, CT, and positron emission tomography detected metastases to the mediastinal lymph nodes with accuracies of 93, 81, and 83%, respectively. EUS-FNA was significantly better than CT at detecting distant metastases (accuracies of 97 and 89%, respectively; p = 0.02). Metastases to lymph nodes at the celiac axis (CLNs) were observed in 11% of cases. The diagnostic yields of EUS-FNA and CT for detection of metastases to the CLNs were 100 and 50%, respectively (p < 0.05). EUS was able to detect small metastases (less than 1 cm) often missed by CT. Metastasis to the CLNs was a predictor of poor survival of subjects with non-small cell lung cancer, irrespective of the size of the CLNs. Of 44 cases with resectable tumor on CT scan, EUS-FNA avoided thoracotomy in 14% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA as a first test (after CT) has high diagnostic yield and accuracy for detecting lung cancer metastases to the mediastinum and distant sites. Metastasis to the CLNs is associated with poor prognosis. EUS-FNA is able to detect occult metastasis to the CLNs and thus avoids thoracotomy.     

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for non-small cell lung cancer staging: A systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive alternative technique for mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer. A metaanalysis was performed to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA for staging mediastinal lymph nodes (N2/N3 disease) in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: Relevant studies were identified using Medline (1966 to November 2005), CINAHL, and citation indexing. Included studies used histology or adequate clinical follow-up (> 6 months) as the "gold standard," and provided sufficient data for calculating sensitivity and specificity. Summary receiver operating characteristic curves metaanalysis was performed to estimate the pooled sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: In 18 eligible studies, EUS-FNA identified 83% of patients (95% confidence interval [CI], 78 to 87%) with positive mediastinal lymph nodes (pooled sensitivity) and 97% of patients (95% CI, 96 to 98%) with negative mediastinal lymph nodes (pooled specificity). In eight studies that were limited to patients who had abnormal mediastinal lymph nodes seen on CT scans, the sensitivity was 90% (95% CI, 84 to 94%) and the specificity was 97% (95% CI, 95 to 98%). In patients without abnormal mediastinal lymph nodes seen on CT scans (four studies), the pooled sensitivity was 58% (95% CI, 39 to 75%). Minor complications were reported in 10 cases (0.8%). There were no major complications. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA is a safe modality for the invasive staging of lung cancer that is highly sensitive when used to confirm metastasis to mediastinal lymph nodes seen on CT scans. In addition, among lung cancer patients with normal mediastinal adenopathy seen on CT scans, despite lower sensitivity, it has the potential to prevent unnecessary surgery in a large proportion of cases missed by CT scanning.     

The utility of EUS-guided FNA in the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer to the esophagus and the mediastinum

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer can metastasize to the esophagus and the mediastinum. EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) is being used increasingly as a less invasive alternative to mediastinoscopy for procuring a tissue diagnosis of mediastinal disease and may be useful for the diagnosis of breast cancer metastatic to the esophagus and the mediastinum. METHODS: Twelve women (age range 54-82 years) with a history of breast cancer presented with dysphagia or other symptoms between 1 and 15 years after initial diagnosis and treatment. CT and endoscopy with biopsies suggested a mediastinal mass or lymphadenopathy with extrinsic esophageal compression but failed to provide a tissue diagnosis. EUS-FNA was performed for diagnosis. RESULTS: Cytologic evaluation of specimens obtained by EUS-FNA confirmed breast cancer metastases in 11 of 12 patients (91%). Recurrent disease was found in intramural masses and periesophageal lymph nodes. No complication resulted from any EUS-FNA procedure. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA is safe and effective for the diagnosis of breast cancer metastases to the esophagus and the mediastinum. EUS-FNA may be useful as a first-line method of evaluation when breast cancer metastasis to the esophagus and the mediastinum is suspected.     

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in the evaluation of suspected lung cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The role of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer is still not fully explored. This prospective study aimed to define the effectiveness of EUS-FNA as an adjunct to computer tomography (CT) and bronchoscopy in the evaluation of suspected lung cancer in routine clinical practice. METHODS: Over a period of 20 weeks, the data of 16 consecutive patients suspected of lung cancer on account of respiratory symptoms, and/or the findings of either a mass or mediastinal lymph nodes on helical CT, who were referred for evaluation by EUS, were prospectively collected. Fourteen of these patients underwent sequential bronchoscopy followed by EUS-FNA in the same setting. RESULTS: Bronchoscopy was performed in 15 patients, while EUS was performed in all 16 patients. Bronchoscopy diagnosed 9 cases of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but was falsely negative in 3 cases of malignancies, which were all established by EUS-FNA of mediastinal lymph nodes (2 cases of NSCLC and 1 case of esophageal squamous cell cancer). EUS-FNA also diagnosed advanced NSCLC in another patient who did not undergo bronchoscopy, such that eventually 13 patients were diagnosed to have malignancies. Distant metastases were diagnosed by EUS-FNA in 4 cases of NSCLC (2 cases of left adrenal gland and 2 cases of pancreatic metastases). Two patients were diagnosed to have sarcoidosis and 1 patient was diagnosed to have pneumoconiosis eventually. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA is useful as an adjunct to CT and bronchoscopy in the evaluation of suspected lung cancer.     

Diagnosing sarcoidosis using endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The ability to diagnose sarcoidosis cytologically has been reported previously, but the method is rarely used. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a sensitive technique for detecting mediastinal lymph nodes, which in addition provides an opportunity to carry out guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. We report herein on the use of EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with suspected sarcoidosis were investigated using EUS-FNA with a linear echoendoscope and a 22-gauge Hancke-Vilman needle. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: In all 19 patients, EUS revealed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes (mean size, 2.4 cm), located subcarinally (n = 15), in the aortopulmonary window (n = 12), or in the lower posterior mediastinum (n = 5). The nodes had an isoechoic or hypoechoic appearance, with atypical vessels in five cases. The amount of aspirate obtained using EUS-FNA was adequate in all patients, and contained blood in excess of normal in some, indicating a high degree of vascularity. Cytology demonstrated epithelioid cell granuloma formation, suggesting sarcoidosis. Mycobacterial cultures were negative in all of the patients except one, in whom the final diagnosis was tuberculosis. The specificity and sensitivity of EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis were 94% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: EUS of mediastinal lymph nodes in sarcoidosis reveals certain characteristic features. However, it is not capable of differentiating the lesions from tuberculosis or malignancy. EUS-FNA is a safe and sensitive method of aspirating material for cytology and mycobacterial cultures. We believe it will provide a useful alternative in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.