Recent advances in endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a biopsy method for sampling of mediastinal, hilar lymph nodes and pulmonary lesions adjacent to the airway.Guidelines suggest that EBUS-TBNA should be considered the first test of nodal staging for radiologically abnormal lymph nodes that are available by this approach.The application of EBUS-TBNA in thoracic diseases is expanding to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, lymphoma, and tuberculosis.For early-stage sarcoidosis patients, EBUS-TBNA has a higher diagnostic rate compared to the traditional electronic bronchoscopy.The samples can be used for histopathological evaluation, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and chromosome analysis.Multidirectional analysis can help to identify the subtypes of lymphoma and lung cancer.Molecular phenotype analyses such as identification of epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusion gene detection can help to select molecular targeted therapeutic agents.The characteristics of EBUS-TBNA such as minimal invasion and repeatable operation have unique advantages in the restaging of mediastinum tumor.With the improvement of molecular biology technology, gene expression analysis will become important for lung cancer patients, and EBUS-TBNA can supply ideal tissues. Key words: Endobronchial ultrasound; Transbronchial needle aspiration; Lymph node