accuracy of convex probe ebus-tbna versus fdg-pet/ct imaging in diagnosis and staging of lung malignancies

Conditions: Lung Malignancies; Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy

Summary: lung cancer is a prevalent cause of cancer-related mortality on a global scale. appropriate staging of lung cancer is of paramount importance, as it customizes treatment and predicts prognosis. fludeoxyglucose-18 (fdg) positron emission tomography (pet) combined with low dose contrast computed tomography (ct) and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (ebus-tbna) are two diagnostic modalities widely used in the field of staging \& diagnosis of lung malignancies, the former depends on image analysis while the later enables real-time sampling of lymph nodes under sonographic guidance with concurrent cytological examination. the present research aims to compare the diagnostic and staging accuracies of (ebus-tbna) versus fdg-pet /ct as two diagnostic modalities in patients with suspected lung malignancies. however as a secondary outcome this study aims at monitoring the possible complications arising post ebus-tbna procedure.

lung cancer is a prevalent cause of cancer-related mortality on a global scale. appropriate staging of lung cancer is of paramount importance, as it customizes treatment and predicts prognosis. fludeoxyglucose-18 (fdg) positron emission tomography (pet) combined with low dose contrast computed tomography (ct) and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (ebus-tbna) are two diagnostic modalities widely used in the field of staging \& diagnosis of lung malignancies, the former depends on image analysis while the later enables real-time sampling of lymph nodes under sonographic guidance with concurrent cytological examination. objective: to compare the diagnostic and staging accuracy of convex probe ebus-tbna versus fdg - pet/ct as two diagnostic modalities in diagnosis of suspected lung cancer \& staging of concurrent mediastinal lymphadenopathy patients and methods: this prospective, interventional cohort research was performed on 40 cases with suspected lung malignancies. all cases were examined via fdg-pet/ct followed by convex probe ebus-tbna for diagnosis of suspected lung cancer \& staging of concurrent mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patients 18 years old or more. * patients presented with centrally located suspiciously malignant lung masses with or without lymphadenopathy. * patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy only as evident by contrast - enhanced ct scan of the chest. * patients with peripheral lung malignancy and mediastinal lymphadenopathy who were referred for mln staging were also recruited to the research exclusion criteria: * all patients who were who were unfit for bronchoscopy as per international guidelines for practice. * cases are diagnosed with stage iv (metastatic) lung cancer. * patients with histopathological diagnosis other than malignancy (as sarcoidosis, tuberculosis). * patients unfit for fdg-pet g-pet/ct examination (uncontrolled hyperglycemia, renal impairment). * patients who refused to participate to the study.

Keywords: fdg-pet/ct lung cancer lung staging ebus-tbna mediastinal lymphadenopathy