Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Systematic Nodal Staging of Lung Cancer in Patients with N0 Disease by Computed Tomography and Integrated Positron Emission Tomography–Computed Tomography

Abstract

This is the largest report of EBUS-TBNA in patients with N0 disease by "integrated" PET-CT. The majority of false-negative EBUS results were in LN stations outside its reach. In our study, both sensitivity and NPV of EBUS-TBNA were lower than early reports despite more extensive LN sampling. Given the high false-negative rate of imaging modalities, EBUS-TBNA may still play an important role in patients with radiographic N0 disease, particularly when nonsurgical ablative therapies are planned. Prospective studies are needed to corroborate our findings in the nonsurgical population.