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The preferred management of a cardiac mass remains controversial, but it often includes open-chest surgical excision to obtain an adequate tissue sample for histological workup. We herein report a less invasive approach in which an accurate and timely cytological diagnosis of pericardial angiosarcoma was reached by studying a CT-guided fine-needle aspiration cell block. The cell block showed proliferation of atypical cells with occasional mitotic figures, vasoformative features, and immunoreactivity to WT1, vimentin, CD31, CD34, ERG, and Ki67. Recourse to fine-needle aspiration and cell block study is a valuable diagnostic approach to be considered when a cardiac mass is percutaneously accessible.

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Since the development of endobronchial ultrasound-guided real-time needle aspiration (EBUS-rt-TBNA) no false positive (FP) cases have been described. We present the first FP case for EBUS-rt-TBNA secondary to a carcinoma in situ (CIS) in the bronchial point of puncture. A 66-years-old male was referred to our Institution because of a mass in left lower lobe. The bronchoscopy did not show any endobronchial lesion. The cytology of the washing confirmed an unspecified non-small cell lung cancer. An EBUS-rt-TBNA for staging was carried out. No mediastinal nodes over 5 mm length were found but one single left hilar node at station 11 L was sampled. The cytology of the TBNA showed lymphocytes and neoplastic squamous cells. The patient underwent thoracotomy. On the surgical specimen no metastasis on any of the nodes resected were detected but a CIS on the bronchial resection margin was described. A bronchial biopsy confirmed CIS on the bronchial stump. The reported case depicts an unusual situation, we consider EBUS-rt-TBNA an accurate technique if minimal requirements are met.

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BACKGROUND: Conventional smears of samples obtained by endobronchial ultrasound with real-time transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) have proven useful in lung cancer staging, but the value of additional information from cell-block processing of EBUS-TBNA samples has only been marginally investigated. This study focussed on the contribution of cell block analysis to the diagnostic yield in lung cancer. METHODS: Patients referred for lung cancer diagnosis and/or staging by means of EBUS-TBNA were enrolled, the adequacy of the obtained samples for preparing cell blocks was assessed, and the additional pathologic or genetic information provided from cell block analysis was examined. RESULTS: In 270 lung cancer patients referred for EBUS-TBNA (mean age, 63.3 SD 10.4 years) 697 aspirations were performed. Cell blocks could be obtained from 334 aspirates (47.9%) and contained diagnostic material in 262 (37.6%) aspirates, providing information that was additional to conventional smears in 50 of the 189 samples with smears that were non-diagnostic, corresponding 21 of these blocks to malignant nodes, and allowing lung cancer subtyping of 4 samples. Overall, cell blocks improved the pathologic diagnosis attained with conventional smears in 54 of the 697 samples obtained with EBUS-TBNA (7.7%). Cell blocks obtained during EBUS-TBNA also made epithelial growth factor receptor mutation analysis possible in 39 of the 64 patients with TBNA samples showing metastatic adenocarcinoma (60.1%). Overall, cell blocks provided clinically significant information for 83 of the 270 patients participating in the study (30.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Cell-block preparation from EBUS-TBNA samples is a simple way to provide additional information in lung cancer diagnosis. Analysis of cell blocks increases the diagnostic yield of the procedure by nearly seven per cent and allows for genetic analysis in a sixty per cent of the patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma.

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ObjetivoAnalizar los resultados conseguidos en diagnóstico y estadificación del cáncer de pulmón (CP) por una unidad de diagnóstico rápido de cáncer de tórax (UDR-CT) que incorpora la ultrasonografía endobronquial con punción transbronquial aspirativa en tiempo real (USEB-PTBA-tr) a la evaluación clínica del paciente previa al tratamiento.MétodoSe ha realizado un estudio observacional del conjunto de pacientes valorados por sospecha diagnóstica de CP en una UDR-CT durante cuatro años, registrando los tiempos y la técnica requeridos para el diagnóstico, el tiempo para el tratamiento, y el grado de identificación de enfermedad en estadio inicial.ResultadosSeiscientos setenta y ocho pacientes fueron atendidos en la UDR-CT, en 352 casos el diagnóstico fue confirmado en una o más muestras anatomopatológicas. En 170 pacientes el diagnóstico se obtuvo con biopsias y/o citologías obtenidas por fibrobroncoscopia (48,2%), la USEB-TTBA-rt confirmó la sospecha clínica en 70 pacientes (19,9%). En 280 pacientes afectos de carcinoma de pulmón no célula pequeña (CPNCP) se practicaron 166 USEB-PRBA-tr de estadificación (59,3%) y en 105 de ellos la técnica mostró únicamente enfermedad local (37,5%). En 83 de estos pacientes se procedió a cirugía terapéutica, que fue radical en 73 casos (87,9%).ConclusiónEn la mitad de pacientes remitidos a la UDR-CT por sospecha de CP el diagnóstico se confirma, por técnicas endoscópicas en tres cuartas partes de los casos. La USEB-TTBA-rt es la técnica diagnóstica en una quinta parte de los casos y de estadificación en más de la mitad de ellos, y permite reducir los tiempos de espera hasta el diagnóstico y el inicio de tratamiento(AU)

ObjectiveTo analyse the results obtained in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer (LC) by a Lung Cancer Rapid Diagnosis Unit (LC-RDU) in which real]time endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (RT-EBUS guided-TBNA) is performed as part of the clinical evaluation of the patient prior to treatment.MethodA four year observational study was conducted on a group of patients evaluated due to suspicion of LC in an LC-RDU. The times and the techniques required for the diagnosis and identifying the level of the disease in the initial staging were recorded.ResultsOut of a total of 678 patients seen in the LC-RDU, the diagnosis in 352 was confirmed in one or more histopathology samples. In 170 patients (48.2%) the diagnosis was made with biopsies and/ or cytology samples obtained by fibrobronchoscopy, and RT-EBUS guided-TBNA confirmed the clinical suspicion in 70 patients (19.9%). In the 280 patients with SCLC, 166 RT-EBUS guided-TBNA were performed for staging (59.3%), and in 105 of them the technique only showed local disease (37.5%). Therapeutic surgery was performed on 83 of these patients, and was radical in 73 cases (87.9%).ConclusionIn half of the patients referred to the LC-RDU due to suspected LC, the diagnosis was confirmed in 75% of cases using endoscopic techniques. RT-EBUS guided-TBNA was the diagnostic technique in 20% of the cases, for staging in more than half of them, and led to reduced waiting times for the diagnosis and starting treatment(AU)

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OBJECTIVE: To analyse the results obtained in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer (LC) by a Lung Cancer Rapid Diagnosis Unit (LC-RDU) in which real-time endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (RT-EBUS guided-TBNA) is performed as part of the clinical evaluation of the patient prior to treatment. METHOD: A four year observational study was conducted on a group of patients evaluated due to suspicion of LC in an LC-RDU. The times and the techniques required for the diagnosis and identifying the level of the disease in the initial staging were recorded. RESULTS: Out of a total of 678 patients seen in the LC-RDU, the diagnosis in 352 was confirmed in one or more histopathology samples. In 170 patients (48.2%) the diagnosis was made with biopsies and/ or cytology samples obtained by fibrobronchoscopy, and RT-EBUS guided-TBNA confirmed the clinical suspicion in 70 patients (19.9%). In the 280 patients with SCLC, 166 RT-EBUS guided-TBNA were performed for staging (59.3%), and in 105 of them the technique only showed local disease (37.5%). Therapeutic surgery was performed on 83 of these patients, and was radical in 73 cases (87.9%). CONCLUSION: In half of the patients referred to the LC-RDU due to suspected LC, the diagnosis was confirmed in 75% of cases using endoscopic techniques. RT-EBUS guided-TBNA was the diagnostic technique in 20% of the cases, for staging in more than half of them, and led to reduced waiting times for the diagnosis and starting treatment.

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