title: Airway measurements in tracheobronchial stenosis using endobronchial ultrasonography during stenting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess airway measurements, endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) and multidetector, row computed tomography (MDCT) images were compared in patients with tracheal stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Airway stenting was performed on 31 patients, 25 malignant and 6 benign. EBUS and MDCT images were compared before intervention to assess the degree of airway narrowing at 212 sites. Of these, 130 sites were considered normal and 82 abnormal. For malignant stenosis, airway measurements were taken at 160 sites including 112 normal and 48 abnormal. For benign stenosis, airway measurements were taken at 52 sites including 18 normal and 34 abnormal. This technique enables the EBUS probe to measure the distal end to the proximal end of the stenosis whereby the inflated balloon size changes according to the degree of stenosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diameter and length of the stenotic sites measured by EBUS and MDCT were nearly equal in all patients. Significant correlation was seen at all 212 sites (r=0.805, P<0.0001), 130 normal (r=0.758, P<0.0001) and 82 abnormal (r=0.654, P<0.0001). For malignant cases, there was significant correlation in a total of 160 sites (r=0.810, P<0.0001), 112 normal (r=0.782, P<0.0001) and 48 abnormal (r=0.564, P<0.0001). Benign cases showed significant correlations in total 52 sites (r=0.780, P<0.0001), 18 normal (r=0.778, P<0.0001) and 34 abnormal (r=0.731, P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This EBUS technique was successful in establishing accurate airway measurements for suitable airway stent sizes in interventional procedures, especially in cases with tracheobronchial malacia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory and Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, St Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nobuyama
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Taeko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirakawa
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mineshita
authors.forename: Teruomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazawa