GS versus no GS transbronchial cryobiopsy for the diagnosis of radial EBUS eccentric solitary pulmonary nodules

J. Votruba*^a (Prof), Z. Sestakova^a (Dr)

^a 1 st Chest clinic Charles University, Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC

* votruba.praha@gmail.com

Transbronchial biopsy is an indispensable tool for the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules. Its yield is however still not competitive with transparietal approach or surgical biopsy. Various methods of navigation to SPN have been developed, many of them are hindered by insufficient amount of biopsy material. It is why many centers decided to employ cryobiopsy in this process which can provide pathologist with substantial volume of tissue.

Methods: We have compared two methods of cryoprobe placement - transbronchial cryobiopsy after fluoroscopic navigation of rEBUS to ideal position and transbronchial cryobiopsy after GS + fluoroscopic navigation to ideal position. In both groups only eccentrically visualized SPNs have been utilized for statistical evaluation. Study was monocentric and retrospective evaluating 326 patients from 6/2020 to 2/2022

Results: 329 SPNs have been deemed by bronchologist as eccentrically visualized by radial EBUS. 212 cases in non-GS group and 117 in GS group. In all cases only one transbronchial cryobiopsy was done. Morphological diagnosis was obtained in 137 patients in non- GS group (64,62%) and 88 (0,75%) (p 0,001) in GS group.

Discussion: GS based approach showed significantly higher diagnostic yield in our group of patients undergoing transbronchial ctryobiopsy for SPN.

Disclosure of funding source(s): none