title: Utility and diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle aspiration cytology of mediastinal lesions: Saudi Arabian experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate the cytological accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-TFNA) of the mediastinal mass/nodular lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 3½ years from inception at King Khalid University Hospital, a retrospective analysis of the cytological diagnoses of all the EBUS-TFNA procedures performed in 80 patients who had mediastinal mass/nodular enlargement. Cytology results were reviewed and correlated with the histologic follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 80 patients who underwent EBUS-TFNA, 15 cases (18.75%) were positive for malignancy, 48 cases (60%) negative for malignancy and 17 cases (21.25%) unsatisfactory. Of the 48 cases, which were negative for malignancy, 24 (50%) cases were of granulomatous inflammation. The overall diagnostic yield of our EBUS-TFNA specimen was 78.75%. Forty-seven cases (58.75%) of 80 cases had histological follow-up biopsies. Among them, 32 cases (68%) had the same cytological and histological diagnosis and 15 cases (31.09%) had discordance between the cytology and the follow-up histological diagnosis. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for diagnosing granulomas by EBUS-TFNA are 77%, 82%, 83%, and 75% and for diagnosing malignancy are 71%, 100%, 100%, and 82%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results show that cytological samples obtained through EBUS-TFNA are accurate and specific in making a diagnosis of the mediastinal mass/nodular lesions. Its optimum use depends on the effective collaboration between the cytotechnologist, pathologist, and the bronchoscopist.
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Pathology, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raddaoui
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Esam H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Alhamad
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Pathology, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shaesta Naseem
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Pathology, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fatmah F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Al-Habeeb
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Pathology, King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arafah
keywords: Cytology; endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial fine-needle aspiration; fine-needle aspiration