ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Chirurgica 2013 December;68(6):579-85

Copyright © 2013 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy and rapid on site evaluation added to fluoroscopy-guided assisted bronchoscopy and rapid on site evaluation: improved yield in pulmonary nodules

Balbo P. E. ¹, Bodini B. D. ², Patrucco F. ¹, Della Corte F. ³, Zanaboni S. ³, Bagnati P. ⁴, Andorno S. ⁵, Magnani C. ⁵ ✉

¹ Pulmonology Unit Ospedale Maggiore della Carità Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; ² Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation I.R.C.C.S., Galeazzi Institute, Milan, Italy; ³ Intensive Care Unit Ospedale Maggiore della Carità Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; ⁴ Pathology Unit, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; ⁵ Medical Statistics and Cancer Epidemiology Unit Amedeo Avogadro University, Maggiore Hospital of Novara, Novara, Italy

Aim: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) was reported to increase diagnostic yield in pulmonary nodules (PNs). The aim of this study was to assess if rapid on site evaluation (ROSE) associated with ENB could improve diagnostic accuracy in PNs after non-diagnostic fluoroscopy-guided bronchoscopy added to ROSE.
Methods: Forty patients with PNs suspected for lung cancer underwent to ENB + ROSE after non-diagnostic Fluoroscopy-guided Bronchoscopy + ROSE. Each lesion was studied with reference to size, location, presence of bronchus sign on CT. All lesions were sampled by needle and brush; if negative, by forceps and bronchoalveolar lavage. All patients were followed-up until achievement of definitive diagnosis.
Results: Twenty-nine out of 41 lesions (70.7%) had a definitive diagnosis. ENB sensitivity for malignancy was 76.5%, with higher rate in presence of bronchus sign on CT (86.2%) and in case of lesions located in the upper and middle lobes (87.5%).
Conclusion: ENB is a useful tool in the evaluation of PNs. High diagnostic accuracy may be related to sampling (transbronchial needle aspiration), ROSE, location and presence of bronchus sign.