BACKGROUND Peripheral pulmonary lesions are technically challenging with conventional bronchoscopy in obtaining tissue diagnosis. The recently developed small-caliber ultrasonographic probe can be introduced via the working channel of a flexible bronchoscope to localize peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) prior to transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). The endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronc...

BACKGROUND Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial nee dle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a useful technique for cytological assessment of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes with a high diagnostic yield for lung cancer. However, the small sample volume can be problematic in diagnosing benign diseases and for molecular analysis of malignant tumours. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to evaluate a n...

INTRODUCTION This study retrospectively evaluated CT-guided thoracic biopsies for diagnostic yield, accuracy and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of 384 patients (mean age 62.7 years; male/female = 251/133) who underwent 399 CT-guided thoracic biopsies were performed for evaluating diagnostic yield, accuracy and complications. Correlations between patients age, pr...

BACKGROUND Medical thoracoscopy has received interest in recent past for diagnostic as well as therapeutic uses. In this study we describe our experience with diagnostic medical thoracoscopy in pleural effusions of undiagnosed etiology. OBJECTIVE 1.To detect diagnostic yield of medical thoracoscopy in pleural effusions of unknown etiology. 2.To find complication rate in these patients. METH...

BACKGROUND A closed pleural biopsy is commonly performed for diagnosing patients exhibiting pleural effusion if prior thoracentesis is not diagnostic. However, the diagnostic yield of such biopsies is unsatisfactory. Instead, a thoracoscopic pleural biopsy is more useful and less painful. METHODS We compared the diagnostic yield of needle thoracoscopic pleural biopsy performed under local ane...

Introduction: Pleural effusion may develop during various acute or chronic medical conditions. Despite different diagnostic workups, some cases of pleural effusion may remain undiagnosed. Pleuroscopy and closed biopsy are common diagnostic approaches used for the diagnosis of undiagnosed cases. The present research aimed to evaluate the diagnostic yield of medical pleuroscopy a...

Background Three device-assisted deep endoscopic platforms presently exist and are available for clinical use: double-balloon enteroscopy, single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE), and spiral enteroscopy (SE). In a retrospective study, SE was associated with a greater depth of maximal insertion (DMI) with similar diagnostic yields and procedure time as compared with SBE. Aims This was a prospective, ...

BACKGROUND Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy is used in the diagnosis of pulmonary and pleural lesions. The standard procedure using the Vacu-Cut cutting type of needle is the "thrust" technique in which the needle is rapidly forced through the lesion. In our experience this technique has a low yield of histological biopsy specimens. The diagnostic yield of a new biopsy technique ("drill...

We evaluated diagnostic yield of third sputum smear in patients co infected with HIV for detection of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Among 139 pulmonary tuberculosis cases confirmed with positive sputum culture, diagnostic yield of first smear of sputum with acid fast staining was 81.9%. Incremental yield of 2(nd) and 3(rd) samples was 11.7% and 6.3% respectively. So two sputum smears may be enou...

OBJECTIVES To determine if mandatory adherence to a diagnostic protocol increases the rate of computed tomography pulmonary angiographies (CTPAs) positive for pulmonary embolism (PE)-the so-called diagnostic yield. Further, we aim to identify factors associated with this diagnostic yield. METHODS We included all patients with suspected PE requiring CTPA from 9 January 2014 t0 3 June 2014. The...