Ultrasound identifies mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes and masses adjacent to the airways while bronchoscopy is being performed. This real-time view helps clinicians locate a relevant target before advancing the needle through the bronchial wall. By linking the airway position with the nearby lesion, the protocol supports focused sampling rather than relying only on indirect assessment.
Material collected during EBUS-TBNA can support several forms of analysis, including cytology, histology, microbiology, and molecular testing. Cytological and histological assessment examines cellular or tissue features, while microbiological and molecular analyses provide additional information about the sampled disease process. Using these complementary analyses allows one procedure to contribute to diagnosis and clinical characterization.
The protocol reaches lymph nodes and masses near the airways through bronchoscopy, allowing clinicians to obtain cellular or tissue material without immediately using a surgical approach. This minimally invasive route can provide information for diagnosis and mediastinal staging while avoiding the need for surgical biopsy in situations where the collected sample answers the clinical question.
The procedure begins with bronchoscopy to examine the airways and position the ultrasound probe. Clinicians then use real-time ultrasound to identify a mediastinal or hilar target. A needle is advanced through the bronchial wall into the selected lymph node or mass, and the retrieved cellular or tissue material is collected for laboratory analysis.
EBUS-TBNA is directed toward mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes and masses located near the airways. These targets are important in the assessment of suspected lung cancer and other thoracic diseases because their sampled material can contribute to diagnosis and evaluation of the mediastinum. The ultrasound view helps connect the airway route with the nearby target.
In suspected lung cancer, findings from EBUS-TBNA can support both diagnosis and mediastinal staging. The samples may undergo cytological, histological, microbiological, or molecular analysis, producing information relevant to characterizing the disease. Clinicians can use this information to guide treatment decisions and improve the accuracy of mediastinal assessment without relying immediately on surgical biopsy.