Current clinical applications of endobronchial ultrasound

Abstract

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is an evolving diagnostic tool in respiratory medicine that allows the bronchoscopist to see beyond the airway. The radial probe EBUS was first introduced to evaluate the central airway structure. With advances in technology, the small radial probes can now visualize and assist transbronchial biopsies of peripheral lung nodules without exposure to radiation. The newest development is the convex probe EBUS (CP-EBUS) consisting of a curvilinear electronic transducer on the tip of a flexible bronchovideoscope. CP-EBUS allows real-time EBUS-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). EBUS-TBNA has access to all of the mediastinal lymph nodes accessible by mediastinoscopy as well as N1 nodes. EBUS-TBNA is primarily used for lymph-node staging and diagnosis of lung cancer, but is also used for the diagnosis of unexplained mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy. It is a minimally invasive approach that is safe and has a good diagnostic yield.

Keywords::

• bronchoscopy
• endobronchial ultrasound
• lung cancer
• lymph node
• mediastinal adenopathy
• staging
• thoracic surgery
• transbronchial needle aspiration

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has received unrestricted grants from Olympus Medical Systems for continuing medical education. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.