The Utility of Ultrathin cryoprobe with Cone-beam Computed Tomography in Diagnosis of Pulmonary Ground-glass Nodules：A Retrospective Study

Z. Huang^a (Dr), J. Chen^a (Dr), F. Xie^a (Dr), S. Liu^a (Mr), Y. Zhou^a (Mr), M. Shi^b (Prof), J. Sun*^a (Prof)

^a Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, CHINA ; ^b Department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Huashan Hospital, Affiliated with Fudan University, Shanghai, CHINA

* xkyyjysun@163.com

Background: Persist ground-glass nodules (GGNs) tend to be malignant. However, it is difficult to localise and acquire GGNs in transbronchial lung biopsy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of cryobiopsy (CB) with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)

Methods: From August 2020 to November 2021, consecutive patients who underwent different biopsy methods with CBCT were initially enrolled and patients with solid nodules or rebiopsy subsequently were excluded. Demographic data, diagnostic yield, complications, and factors affecting diagnostic yield were recorded.

Results: Total 34 patients with GGNs (consolidation to tumor ratio < 50%) were included. The arrival rate of the endobronchial ultrasound probe under CBCT was 73.5% (25/34). The diagnostic yield of biopsy under CBCT was 50.0% (17/34) and there was statistical significance between total CB and total FB (65.4% vs. 33.3%, p=0.020). After excluding reconfirmation failure population, the diagnostic yield was 68.0% (17/25) and there was statistical significance between CB and FB (77.3% vs. 47.4%, p=0.047). In univariate analysis, the factors of reconfirmation of CBCT and bronchus sign can affect diagnostic yield of CBCT (p= 0.016 and p= 0.001, respectively). No pneumothorax or severe hemorrhage was observed in this study.

Conclusions: CBCT combined with an ultrathin cryoprobe is a promising tool for harvesting pulmonary ground-glass nodules.

Disclosure of funding source(s): none