(18)F-FDG uptake predicts diagnostic yield of transbronchial biopsy in peripheral lung cancer

Guide sheath versus non-guide sheath method for endobronchial ultrasound-guided biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions: A multicenter randomized trial

INTRODUCTION

Guide sheaths (GSs) have been widely used during radial probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (rEBUS-TBB) of peripheral pulmonary lesions. However, it remains unknown whether a GS enhances the diagnostic yield. We compared the diagnostic yields of small peripheral pulmonary lesions between rEBUS-TBB with and without a GS.

METHODS

In eight institutions, patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions≤30 mm in diameter were enrolled and randomized to undergo rEBUS-TBB with a GS (GS group) or without a GS (non-GS group) using a 4.0-mm thin bronchoscope, virtual bronchoscopic navigation, and fluoroscopy. The primary endpoint was the diagnostic yield of the histology specimens.

RESULTS

A total of 605 patients were enrolled; ultimately, data on 596 (300 in the GS group and 296 in the non-GS group) with peripheral pulmonary lesions having a longest median diameter of 19.6 mm were analyzed. The diagnostic yield of histological specimens from the GS group was significantly higher than that from the non-GS group (55.3% versus 46.6%, respectively; p=0.033). Interactions were evident between the diagnostic yields, procedures, lobar locations (upper lobe versus other regions, p=0.003), and lesion texture (solid versus part-solid nodules, p=0.072).

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic yield for small peripheral pulmonary lesions afforded by rEBUS-TBB using a GS was higher than that without a GS.

Value of virtual bronchoscopic navigation and transbronchial ultrasound-guided sheath-guided exploration in diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Peripheral lung cancer poses a substantial harm to human health, and it is easy to become exacerbated, potentially threatening the life and safety of patients

AIM

To assess the value of virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) combined with transbronchial ultrasound-guided sheath-guided (EBUS-GS) exploration in the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer.

METHODS

A total of 236 patients with peripheral lung cancer (nodule diameter range, 8-30 mm; diagnosed using high-resolution computed tomography) were selected from three centers between October 2018 and December 2019. Patients who underwent EBUS-GS exploration alone were included in a control group, and those who received VBN in combination with EBUS-GS exploration were included in an observation group. The diagnostic rate and total operating time of different subgroups of the two groups were compared, and the time needed to determine the lesion was recorded.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in diagnosis rate or total operation time between the two groups (P > 0.05), and the time needed to determine the lesion in the observation group was less than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combined use of VBN and EBUS-GS exploration technology has little effect on the diagnosis rate and total operation time of peripheral lung cancer, but it significantly shortens the time needed to determine the lesion and is a valuable diagnostic method.

Can PET-CT predict diagnostic success in ultrasonography-guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsies in lung cancers?

OBJECTIVE

To examine any correlations between tumor maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) in positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and homogeneous/heterogeneous tumor FDG uptake in PET-CT, and the diagnostic success of the procedure in thoracic ultrasonography (US)-guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy (TFNAB).

METHODS

The files of patients who underwent thoracic US-guided TFNAB between 2013 and 2018 were examined. Patients who underwent thoracic US-guided TFNAB and were diagnosed as having primary lung cancer were considered as the US-TFNAB diagnostic group. Patients whose disease was diagnosed as primary lung cancer using a different diagnostic method (e.g. CT-guided biopsies, fiberoptic bronchoscopy) due to a lack of diagnosis despite undergoing thoracic US-guided TFNAB were allocated to the US-TFNAB non-diagnostic group. The clinical and radiologic characteristics and PET-CT parameters of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 104 patients were included in the study; 79 (76%) patients whose disease was diagnosed using US-guided TFNAB, and 25 (24%) patients whose primary lung cancer could not be diagnosed with US-guided TFNAB. The mean SUVmax value of the US-TFNAB diagnostic group was 19.5 ± 10.1, whereas it was 15.1 ± 8.9 in the US-TFNAB non-diagnostic group (p = 0.016). Whether a lesion showed homogeneous or heterogeneous FDG uptake did not effect diagnostic success (p = 0.289). SUVmax value was the only effective independent factor in the diagnostic success of the procedure (p = 0.035).

CONCLUSIONS

High SUVmax values in PET-CT in lung cancers may increase the diagnostic success of US guided-TFNAB procedures.

Diagnostic value of rapid on-site evaluation during transbronchial biopsy for peripheral lung cancer

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of pulmonary lesions-particularly, peripheral lung lesions-are identified with current technological advancements. Notably, the yield of traditional bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions is low. This study evaluated the diagnostic value of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) during transbronchial biopsy for peripheral lung cancer.

METHODS

This study included 641 patients who underwent transbronchial biopsy for suspected lung cancer at the Respiratory Department of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital between January 2012 and December 2016. Based on whether ROSE was used, patients were assigned to the ROSE group (353 patients) or non-ROSE group (288 patients). In the ROSE group, several air-dried smears were processed with Diff-Quik staining; the remaining samples were placed in 10% formalin. Diagnostic yields for central and peripheral lung cancer were compared between the two groups. In addition, ROSE results were compared with final diagnoses.

RESULTS

Diagnostic yield for peripheral lung cancer, stratified by pathology, was significantly higher in the ROSE group than in the non-ROSE group (42.9% vs. 30.7%, P < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of ROSE for peripheral pulmonary lesions were 90.0%, 89.5%, 94.0%, 82.8% and 89.8%, respectively. Conformance was high between ROSE and final pathologic evaluations during transbronchial biopsy (Kappa = 0.780, P = 0.035). There were no procedure-related deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

ROSE during conventional transbronchial biopsy improves diagnostic yield, stratified by pathology, for patients with peripheral lung cancer via live feedback. Moreover, ROSE diagnosis correlates with final cytopathological diagnosis.

Can positron emission tomography/computed tomography be predictive of diagnostic success in endobronchial biopsies performed through a fiber-optic bronchoscopy in lung cancer?

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of homogeneous/heterogeneous (necrotic) involvement and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) value of the lesion on positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) of patients who underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) for prediagnosis of lung cancer and biopsy for endobronchial lesion on the diagnostic success of biopsy procedure.

METHODS

Between January 2014 and December 2016, patients with final diagnosis of pulmonary malignancy as determined by FOB biopsy and patients who failed to be diagnosed by FOB biopsy and diagnosed with pulmonary malignancy by a different diagnostic method were examined. These patients were divided into two groups as those with diagnosis by FOB biopsy (Group 1) and those who failed to be diagnosed by this method and diagnosed with pulmonary malignancy by a different diagnostic method (Group 2). The SUVmax values of the two groups were compared with lesion characteristics of homogeneous, heterogeneous involvement/presence of necrotic component as shown by PET-CT. Group data were assessed by Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U-test. In all tests, P < 0.05 was considered significant.

FINDINGS

A total of 193 participants with a mean age of 61 ± 9.4 were included in the study. There were 128 (66.3%) cases in Group 1 and 65 (33.7%) cases in Group 2. The mean SUVmax value was 16.4 in Group 1 and 15.1 in Group 2. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.329). Homogeneous involvement was present in 103 (80.3%) cases in Group 1 versus 42 (64.6%) cases in Group 2. In the presence of homogeneous PET-CT involvement, diagnosis rate by biopsy was significantly higher (P = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

We concluded that the high SUVmax value of the mass lesion on PET-CT did not increase the diagnostic value of the biopsy procedure in patients prediagnosed with lung cancer and that the diagnostic success of FOB biopsy was poor in cases where PET-CT showed heterogeneous involvement of the mass lesion.

A prospective study on the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer using endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath and computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration

Background:

It is difficult to collect peripheral lung cancer samples. This study analyzed the applicability of endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) and computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration (CT-TTNA) for the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer.

Methods:

A prospective analysis of peripheral lung cancer patients was performed. The study included 150 cases in the EBUS-GS group and 177 cases in the CT-TTNA group. The diagnostic rate, pathological type, genetic status and complications were analyzed.

Results:

The diagnosis rates were 64.0% and 97.7% in the EBUS-GS and CT-TTNA groups, respectively. The EBUS-GS group had undergone the most operations of the upper lobes of both lungs, while there was no significant difference in the operation distribution among the lobes in the CT-TTNA group. Adenocarcinoma (64 cases versus 51 cases) was most commonly observed in both groups, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. The detection rates of patients who were given a genetic test were 96.1% and 98.9% in the EBUS-GS and CT-TTNA groups, respectively. The incidence of complications in the EBUS-GS group was significantly less than that in the CT-TTNA group.

Conclusions:

EBUS-GS and CT-TTNA both had operational limitations. The diagnostic rate of EBUS-GS was lower than that of CT-TTNA, but there were fewer complications. CT-TTNA had better tolerance. According to the specific location of the lesion, we recommend EBUS-GS for lesions with a diameter ⩽30 mm and CT-TTNA for lesions with a diameter >30 mm. CT-TTNA specimens were advantageous for genetic testing.

Endobronchial ultrasonography using a guide sheath technique for diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions

Endobronchial ultrasonography using a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) is a novel method used for collecting peripheral pulmonary lesion (PPL) samples. EBUS-GS is performed by introducing a guide sheath-covered miniprobe into the target bronchus and then withdrawing the miniprobe after lesion detection, leaving the guide sheath in situ as a working channel for obtaining lesion samples. EBUS-GS can improve PPL diagnosis rates and be used for obtaining specimens for molecular analysis. In this review, we discuss the clinical applications of EBUS-GS, the factors that affect its diagnostic sensitivity, and potential complications. We also compare EBUS-GS with other available diagnostic techniques and discuss the strengths and limitations of this method.