[Location of pulmonary nodules and evaluation of lymph node size by ultrasonography under thoracoscopy]

We evaluated the usefulness of ultrasonography under thoracoscopy for locating pulmonary nodules and measuring the size of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Using unilateral lung ventilation with a double lumen tracheal tube, ultrasonography was effective in evaluating the condition of completely collapsed lungs. The locations of twelve nodules, including five lung cancers, six inflammatory lesions, and one intra-pulmonary lymph node, with sizes ranging from 4 to 30 mm, were examined by ultrasonography. While all lung cancers and the intra-pulmonary lymph node were located by ultrasonography, only two of six inflammatory lesions were found. In examining mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes, all lymph nodes larger than 10 mm could be seen by ultrasonography. However, the ultrasonography could not distinguish between metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes. In conclusion, ultrasonography under thoracoscopy was able to locate pulmonary nodules larger than 10 mm, especially lung cancers, and was able to measure the size of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes larger than 10 mm.