Determinants of false-negative results in non-small-cell lung cancer staging by endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration

Abstract

The presence of false-negative ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration results were observed in nearly 15% of non-small-cell lung cancer patients but in only 3% when satisfactory samples were obtained from three mediastinal stations. False-negative results in stations reachable by endobronchial ultrasound were associated with the extensiveness of sampling, and in stations out of reach of endobronchial ultrasound with left-sided tumours. These results suggest that satisfactory sampling of at least three mediastinal stations by EBUS-TBNA may be a quality criterion to be recommended for EBUS-TBNA staging.