US-ASSISTED BRONCHOSCOPY WITH USE OF MINIATURE TRANSDUCER-CONTAINING CATHETERS

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the value of ultrasound (US) guidance during flexible bronchoscopic procedures in a series of patients with known or suspected pulmonary neoplasms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: US-guided bronchoscopy was carried out as an adjunct to conventional bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of mediastinal, hilar, or parenchymal neoplasms in 25 patients with masses previously detected with chest radiography or computed tomography. Miniature transducer-containing catheters were inserted through the biopsy port of the flexible bronchoscope, and cross-sectional real-time US scans of tumors, lymph nodes, and blood vessels were obtained. RESULTS: Among six cases of peripheral masses and 19 cases of central masses, additional information was provided in 18 cases (72%). This information was used to choose the optimal site for transmural biopsy. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that this US procedure may become an important diagnostic tool during bronchoscopy, due to the ability to identify structures beyond the lumen of the tracheobronchial tree.