Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 6, 2025
Substernal Thyroid Biopsy Using Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration
Published on: November 10, 2014
An endobronchial hamartoma observed using narrow band imaging under saline injection: A case report
Misato Kobayashi1, Noriaki Kurimoto1, Yuki Mitarai1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology and Respiratory Medicine Shimane University Faculty of Medicine Izumo Japan.
Insights
A novel light blue line (LBL) was observed during bronchoscopy around a hamartoma lesion. This finding may indicate the presence of ciliated bronchial epithelium near the lesion edge.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Medical Imaging
- Histopathology
Background:
- Bronchoscopy is a key diagnostic tool for evaluating lung lesions.
- Narrow band imaging (NBI) enhances visualization of mucosal details.
- Saline injection is used to improve lesion delineation during endoscopic procedures.
Observation:
- A distinct light blue line (LBL) was visualized along the periphery of a lobulated lung mass.
- The observation was made using narrow band imaging with saline instillation during bronchoscopy.
- The patient was an 82-year-old individual with a lesion located in the left B4 segment.
Findings:
- Histopathological examination confirmed the lesion as a hamartoma.
- The hamartoma was characterized by the presence of ciliated bronchial epithelium.
- A correlation was suggested between the observed LBL and the surrounding ciliated bronchial epithelium.
Implications:
- The LBL may serve as a novel endoscopic marker for identifying specific tissue types, such as ciliated bronchial epithelium.
- This finding could potentially aid in the intraoperative or diagnostic differentiation of lung lesions.
- Further research is warranted to validate the LBL as a reliable indicator in various bronchoscopic scenarios.
Abstract:
A light blue line (LBL) was observed along the edge of a lesion using narrow band imaging under saline injection during bronchoscopy in an 82-year-old patient with a lobulated mass on the left B4. The histopathological diagnosis was hamartoma with ciliated bronchial epithelium, and we speculated that LBL appeared around the ciliated bronchial epithelium.
