HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Permissions Request Permissions Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Varela-Lema, L. Articles by Ruano-Ravina, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Varela-Lema, L. Articles by Ruano-Ravina, A.

Effectiveness and safety of endobronchial ultrasound–transbronchial needle aspiration: a systematic review

¹ Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment, Dept of Health, Galician Regional Authority, Dept of ³ Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, ² Bronchoscopic Unit, Dept of Pulmonary Diseases, University Hospital Complex, Vigo, and ⁴ CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, CIBERESP, Barcelona, Spain.

CORRESPONDENCE: A. Ruano-Ravina, Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias de Galicia, Consellería de Sanidade, Edif. Administrativo de San Lázaro, San Lázaro s/n, 15781 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Fax: 34 981542854. E-mail: alberto.ruano.ravina{at}sergas.es

Keywords: Diagnostic procedures, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration, endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration of lung neoplasms, endobronchial ultrasound real-time transbronchial needle aspiration

Received: June 30, 2008
Accepted December 18, 2008

The aim of the present systematic review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of real time endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS–TBNA) in patients with suspected or known bronchopulmonary carcinoma, as well as in other clinical indications presented by lymphatic adenopathies.

A systematic review was carried out in November 2007 and updated in April 2008 using the main databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the papers retrieved.

A total of 20 publications were included. Of these, 14 were original studies that investigated the clinical usefulness of the technique in visualising and staging lymph nodes in patients with suspected or established lung cancer. Sensitivity ranged 85–100% and negative predictive value ranged 11–97.4%. Three studies assessed the clinical usefulness of the technique in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. EBUS–TBNA was diagnostic in 88–93% of patients. One retrospective study evaluated the use of EBUS–TBNA in the diagnosis of lymphoma. None of the studies included in the present review reported important complications.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration is a safe and highly accurate procedure for the examination and staging of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes in patients with known or suspected lung malignancy. The evidence is promising for sarcoidosis but is not sufficient for lymphoma.