Endobronchial Ultrasound Elastography for Evaluation of Intrathoracic Lymph Nodes: A Pilot Study.
BACKGROUND
Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) elastography is a new imaging procedure for describing the elasticity of intrathoracic lesions and providing important additional diagnostic information.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to utilize the feasibility of qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the ability of EBUS elastography to differentiate between benign and malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes (LNs) during EBUS-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).


METHODS
Patients with enlarged intrathoracic LNs required for EBUS-TBNA examination at a clinical center for thoracic medicine from January 2014 to April 2014 were prospectively enrolled. EBUS sonographic characteristics on B-mode, vascular patterns and elastography, EBUS-TBNA procedures, pathological findings, and microbiological results were recorded. Furthermore, elastographic patterns (qualitative method) and the mean gray value inside the region of interest (quantitative method) were analyzed. Both methods were compared with a definitive diagnosis of the involved LNs.


RESULTS
Fifty-six patients including 68 LNs (33 benign and 35 malignant nodes) were prospectively enrolled into this study and retrospectively analyzed. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, we were able to differentiate between benign and malignant LNs with high sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy (85.71, 81.82, 83.33, 84.38, and 83.82% vs. 91.43, 72.73, 78.05, 88.89, and 82.35%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
EBUS elastography is potentially capable of further differentiating between benign and malignant LNs. These proposed qualitative and quantitative methods might be useful tools for describing EBUS elastography during EBUS-TBNA.
Department of Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Jiayuan
J
Sun
Xiaoxuan
X
Zheng
Xiaowei
X
Mao
Lei
L
Wang
Hongkai
H
Xiong
Felix J F
FJF
Herth
Baohui
B
Han
D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013909:Thorax; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*