STUDY OF THE UTILITY OF TRANSBRONCHIAL NEEDLE ASPIRATION IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF MEDIASTINAL MASSES AND ENDOBRONCHIAL LESIONS

Abstract

Fibrooptic bronchoscope stands as a minimally mvas1ve tool that gives pulmonologists an access to determine the lustological type of a wide diversity of lesions within the TBT. The addition of the TBNA by WANG in the year 1983 to the :fibroscope enabled it to extend its diagnostic capabilities beyond the limitation of the TBT to the mediastinum, hence starting a new era for both the diagnosis and staging of lung tumors and other mediastinal lesion. The aim of this work was to study the utility of the TBNA in the

evaluation of mediastinal masses and endobronchial lesions.

This study was conducted on 30 patients admitted to the Alexandria Main University hospital from the period of May 2001 to April 2002 with the aim of assessing the utility of TBNA in diagnosing mediastinal masses and endobronchial lesions. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 20 patients who were studied with the intension of evaluating the usefulness of the TBNA to diagnose mediastinal masses. Group 2 included 10 patients who were studied with the aim of testing the TBNA to diagnose endobronchial lesions.