Mediastinoscopy is a safe and simple endoscopic procedure for the exploration of the superior mediastinum. It provides useful information as to the possible resectability of bronchogenic carcinoma, or for establishing the diagnosis of primary tumors of the mediastinum, metastatic disease and a variety of chronic granulomata.

Endobronchial ultrasound guided-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) of mediastinal lymph nodes provides a safe alternative to mediastinoscopy for staging patients with lung cancer. Performing TBNA under real time ultrasound visualisation has been shown to significantly improve the yield of TBNA compared with conventional TBNAperformed without visualisation. In addition to the clinical ...

Abstract Background Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung (LCNEC) is a rare entity occurring in less than 4% all cancers. Due to its low differentiation and high glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression, LCNEC demonstrates an increased turnover. Thus, PET/CT with 2-[ 18 F]-fluoro-deoxyglucose ([ F]FDG) suitable for staging. Surgery curative intent treatment choice early stage LCNEC. P...

Can J Surg, Vol. 47, No. 3, June 2004 223 E cervical mediastinoscopy (ECM) is undertaken to examine the invasive stage of primary tumours in the left-upper lobe of the lung and to help diagnose anterior mediastinal lesions. In the literature, few papers deal with ECM; the first on ECM done for diagnostic purposes was a 2002 report by Metin and colleagues on 9 cases. Complications related to the...

During the 1940s and 1950s, as many as 50% of thoracotomies identified nonresectable tumors. At present, better than 90% of patients undergoing thoracotomy for presumably resectable lung cancer are found to have operable tumors. This improvement is the result of major advances in the preoperative staging of this disease. Mediastinoscopy and computed tomography (CT) are the most valuable techniq...