The Role of Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis and the Subtyping of Lymphoma in the Mediastinum

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration is a commonly performed procedure in patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Its role has been widely established in the diagnosis and the staging of lung cancer and other benign disease, but there is still debatable evidence regarding its role in the diagnosis, the subtyping, and the treatment of lymphoproliferative diseases. Consequently, there are no guidelines or statements to guide the choice of diagnostic modality in such cases. We review the available literature to evaluate the myth that endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration does not provide sufficient diagnostic material for the accurate diagnosis and subtyping of mediastinal lymphoma.
Source: Clinical Pulmonary Medicine - Category: Respiratory Medicine Tags: Clinical Myths and Evidence-based Medicine Source Type: research