Clinical Study

Diagnosis of Peripheral Lung Lesions via Conventional Flexible Bronchoscopy with Multiplanar CT Planning

Table 1

Patient characteristics and procedure details. (%).

Number of patients included in analysis226

Male gender (%)139 (61.5%)

Median age (range)64 (30–90)

Median procedure duration in minutes (range)25 (5–75)

Median number of biopsy specimens (Range)8 (2–14)
Patients with at least 6 biopsy specimens (%)196/226 (86.7%)
Diagnostic yield when ≥6 forceps specimens (%)156/196 (79.6%),
Diagnostic yield when <6 forceps specimens (%)25/30 (83.3%)

BAL
 Median volume instilled (range) in mL60 (20–160)
 Median percentage returns (range)37.5 (13.0–83.0)

Sedation
 Median midazolam dose (range) in mg2.5 (0–12.0)
 Median fentanyl dose (range) in Mcg50.0 (0–100.0)

Complications (%)48/226 (21.2%)
Hypoxia (% of complications)6/48 (12.5%)
Bleeding (% of complications)40/48 (83.3%)
Pneumothorax (% of complications)2/48 (4.2%)

Patients with lesions >20 mm (%)179/225 (79.5%)
Diagnostic yield in lesions > 20 mm (%)152/179 (84.9%),
Diagnostic yield in lesions ≤ 20 mm (%)29/46 (63.0%)

CT-Bronchus sign present (%)165/224 (73.7%)
Diagnostic yield in present CT-Bronchus sign (%)136/165 (82.4%),
Diagnostic yield in absent CT-Bronchus sign (%)43/59 (72.8%)

Overall positive diagnostic yield of bronchoscopic biopsy (%)181/226 (80.1%)