Pleural ultrasound as an adjunct to physical examination in the preoperative evaluation of lung cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES Preoperative evaluation of patients with suspected or confirmed lung cancer consists of clinical and radiological staging. Malignant pleural effusion is a poor prognosticator in non-small-cell lung cancer. Pleural ultrasound (PU) allows for the assessment of pleural effusion, providing real-time guidance for its aspiration and cytological analysis. Pleural Ultrasonography in Lung Cancer (PULC) as an adjunct to physical examination has the potential to improve preoperative staging of non-small-cell lung cancer during first surgical encounter by allowing the evaluation of previously unassessed pleural effusion. METHODS This study consisted of a prospective trial of surgeon-performed PU in the preoperative evaluation of lung cancer patients. All patients evaluated in the thoracic surgery clinic with the new or presumed diagnosis of lung cancer were eligible. A portable ultrasound machine was used to evaluate pleural fluid in the bilateral costophrenic sulci with pleural fluid aspiration for cytological analysis. RESULTS Forty-five patients were prospectively enrolled over a 3-month period. Thirteen patients had ultrasound evidence of a pleural effusion, of which 3 were significant enough for aspiration. Cytological analysis of these effusions yielded malignant cells in 1 patient. Positive PULC evaluation led to a change in clinical staging (M0 to M1a) in 10 patients and a change in pathological staging (pleural fluid cytology positive) in 1 patient. The time required for PULC examination was 15 ± 7 min. There were no complications related to the procedures. CONCLUSIONS Preoperative pleural ultrasonography is a rapid and effective way to improve precision of staging in patients with lung cancer. More precise staging may allow for more appropriate testing, patient prognostication and operative planning.