Non-gynaecological Cytology
Respiratory tract cytology
Anatomy and histology of the respiratory tract
Indications of respiratory tract cytology
Cell sampling and preparation methods
Reporting terminology
Normal cells
Non-cellular elements and specimen contaminants
Benign cellular changes
Inflammation
Respiratory infections
Benign lesions
Preneoplastic changes of respiratory epithelium
Lung cancer and other malignant tumours

Transbronchial fine needle aspiration (FNA)

Transbronchial FNA is especially useful for the diagnosis of primary lung lesions lying beneath the bronchial surface and for staging lung cancer patients with mediastinal lymphadenopaty. The lesion is aspirated by a retractable needle (Wang needle) that is passed through a flexible catheter sent down the bronchoscope.
Complications of transbronchial FNA are rare, including endobronchial bleeding.

When used for sampling mediastinal lymph nodes, at least a moderate number of lymphocytes must be present to consider the specimen as adequate. When used with other bronchoscopic specimens, transbronchial FNA increases the diagnostic accuracy of primary lung neoplasms. The distinction of small cell from non-small cell lung cancer is also good.

 

Back