title: Utility of endoscopic ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle cytology in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis: A Saudi experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-TFNA) is a minimally invasive technique for diagnosis of mediastinal masses/lesions. Although most studies have reported the utility of EBUS-TFNA in malignancy, its use has been extended to the benign conditions as well.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study focused on utility of EBUS in contributing to reach the final diagnosis of sarcoidosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From May 2010 to December 2013, 19 of 80 patients who underwent EBUS-TFNA at one center for radiologically suspicious lesions for sarcoidosis, and with no definite histological diagnosis, were included in this retrospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the histological diagnosis was taken as the gold standard, the sensitivity of EBUS-TFNA was 84.2% and specificity 100% with the positive predictive value of 100. The combined diagnostic sensitivity of EBUS-TFNA and transbronchial lung biopsy was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EBUS is a valuable, minimally invasive diagnostic modality to support the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in appropriate clinical setting, after conventional work-up - particularly if patients have suspicious radiological findings. This minimally invasive procedure helps in providing a final diagnosis without exposing the patient to the risk of complications from more invasive procedures.
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Histopathology, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raddaoui
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Esam H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Alhamad
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Histopathology, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shaesta Naseem
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.affiliation: Address: Department of Histopathology, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arafah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fatmah Fahad
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: AlHabeeb
keywords: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle cytology; mediastinal lymph nodes; sarcoidosis