Value of endobronchial ultrasound in staging non-small cell lung cancer

Endobronchial ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is an accurate, safe and minimally invasive technique for the analysis of mediastinal lymph nodes. The aim of our study was to assess the value of EBUS probe using single-channel bronchoscope. Twenty-two patients who undervent EBUS-TBNA with proven non-small cell lung cancer and enlarged (> 1 cm) mediastinal lymph node at chest computed tomography were retrospectively enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 56.8 + or - 9.0 (45-76), and all of them were men. Mean size of sampled 32 lymph nodes was 19.9 + or - 6.5 mm (10-30). The average number of needle passes was 3.2 + or - 0.9 (1-5). Adequate material was found in 31 (97%) of the lymph nodes. In 15 (68.1%) of the patients lymph node metastasis was detected. Of 7 patients with negative cytology, a mediastinoscopy was done. There were no complications other than minimal hemorrhage. The sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA was calculated as 88.2%, whereas the specificity was 100% and accuracy was found to be 90.9%. EBUS guided TBNA of mediastinal lymph nodes is a safe approach which can be a tool for obtaining adequate material and high diagnostic yield in staging of non-small cell lung cancer.