Abstract
Introduction: At present EBUS-TBNA and EUS-FNA methods are suggested as the best methods in diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Until now a lot of pulmonologists use the standard endoscopic procedures to confirm this disease. In our study we present the results of the combined conventional bronchofiberoscopic methods such as endobronchial biopsy (EBB), transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in diagnosis of patients with suspicion of sarcoidosis.
Material and methods: 53 patients with suspicion of sarcoidosis (in stage 1 to 3) were sent to Division of Bronchoscopy for all 2009 year. The all patients were underwent bronchoscopy with simultaneous all three bronchoscopic methods. The presence of noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas that correspond to clinical and radiological picture of sarcoidosis was obtained in 94.33%. In only one patient the sarcoidosis was confirmed by EBUS-TBNA, and two others with acute sarcoidosis still remain under clinical observation.
Conclusions: The results of combined bronchoscopic biopsies are comparable to the results from EBUS and EUS studies. It might suggest that the combined conventional bronchoscopic methods are still useful and recommended to confirm sarcoidosis suspicion.
- © 2011 ERS