[Frequency of cytological procedures in diagnostic bronchoscopy of peripheral pulmonary modules and masses]

The combination of forceps biopsy and cytological methods improves the yield in diagnostic bronchoscopy of peripheral lung cancer. Transbronchial catheter aspiration seems to be an underutilized cytological technique, which is valuable and minimally invasive. We inquired for the frequency of cytological procedures and the importance of transbronchial catheter aspiration in comparison to transbronchial needle aspiration and bronchial brushing.

We sent questionnaires to 99 clinically practising and educating pulmonologists.

The response amounted to 69 %. Nearly 79 % of the pulmonologists usually combine forceps biopsy with cytological procedures. Instead of 51 % bronchial brushing, transbonchial catheter aspiration as well as needle aspiration is the most applied cytological technique by only 28 % of the interrogated physicians. 47 % of the investigators practise bronchial washing and 27 % practise core roll preparations as a rule.

Most of the specialized clinics in respiratory medicine in Germany add cytological methods to transbronchial forceps biopsy. This practice is pregnant with meaning because of a higher diagnostic yield while accuracy is likewise high. Unlike bronchial brushing transbronchial catheter aspiration and needle aspiration are underutilized for different reasons in spite of the fact, that these are the only procedures with a significant higher sensitivity in comparison to forceps biopsy.