title: Ultrasound techniques in the evaluation of the mediastinum, part I: endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and transcutaneous mediastinal ultrasound (TMUS), introduction into ultrasound techniques.
abstract: Ultrasound imaging has gained importance in pulmonary medicine over the last decades including conventional transcutaneous ultrasound (TUS), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS). Mediastinal lymph node staging affects the management of patients with both operable and inoperable lung cancer (e.g., surgery vs. combined chemoradiation therapy). Tissue sampling is often indicated for accurate nodal staging. Recent international lung cancer staging guidelines clearly state that endosonography (EUS and EBUS) should be the initial tissue sampling test over surgical staging. Mediastinal nodes can be sampled from the airways [EBUS combined with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA)] or the esophagus [EUS fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA)]. EBUS and EUS have a complementary diagnostic yield and in combination virtually all mediastinal lymph nodes can be biopsied. Additionally endosonography has an excellent yield in assessing granulomas in patients suspected of sarcoidosis. The aim of this review, in two integrative parts, is to discuss the current role and future perspectives of all ultrasound techniques available for the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and mediastinal staging of lung cancer. A specific emphasis will be on learning mediastinal endosonography. Part I is dealing with an introduction into ultrasound techniques, mediastinal lymph node anatomy and diagnostic reach of ultrasound techniques and part II with the clinical work up of neoplastic and inflammatory mediastinal lymphadenopathy using ultrasound techniques and how to learn mediastinal endosonography.
authors.affiliation: 1 Medical Department 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; 3 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and Centre for Clinical Education, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark ; 4 Medical Department 1, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Strausberg/Wriezen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph Frank
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.affiliation: 1 Medical Department 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; 3 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and Centre for Clinical Education, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark ; 4 Medical Department 1, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Strausberg/Wriezen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jouke Tabe
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Annema
authors.affiliation: 1 Medical Department 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; 3 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and Centre for Clinical Education, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark ; 4 Medical Department 1, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Strausberg/Wriezen, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clementsen
authors.affiliation: 1 Medical Department 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; 3 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and Centre for Clinical Education, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark ; 4 Medical Department 1, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Strausberg/Wriezen, Germany.
authors.forename: Xin Wu
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: 1 Medical Department 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; 3 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and Centre for Clinical Education, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark ; 4 Medical Department 1, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Strausberg/Wriezen, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathias Maximilian
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Borst
authors.affiliation: 1 Medical Department 2, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; 3 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte University Hospital, Denmark and Centre for Clinical Education, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, Hellerup, Denmark ; 4 Medical Department 1, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany ; 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Strausberg/Wriezen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenssen
keywords: Guidelines; endobronchial ultrasound combined with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA); endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA); endoscopic ultrasound with bronchoscope fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA); lung cancer; sarcoidosis; staging; training; transcutaneous ultrasound (TUS)