Pulmonary artery sarcoma diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration

• Published in: Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 152 - 155
• Main Authors: Chan, Johnny W M, Chu, Stephanie Y Y, Lam, Connie H K, O, W H, Cheung, O Y, Kwan, T L, Leung, Alex K C, Law, W L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Hong Kong Academy of Medicine 01-04-2014
• Subjects: Aged; Autopsies; Biopsy, Fine-Needle - methods; Bronchoscopy; Chemotherapy; Dyspnea; Endoscopy; Female; Humans; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical imaging; Medical prognosis; Patients; Pulmonary arteries; Pulmonary Artery - pathology; Pulmonary hypertension; Sarcoma; Sarcoma - pathology; Surgery; Tomography; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Vascular Neoplasms - pathology; Veins & arteries; Bronchoscopy; Ultrasonography, interventional; Pulmonary artery
• ISSN: 1024-2708; 2226-8707
• DOI: 10.12809/hkmj133942

Pulmonary artery sarcoma is a rare disease with poor prognosis that has not been reported in Hong Kong. Its clinical and radiological presentation frequently mimics pulmonary embolism. Diagnosis is usually delayed until surgery, which is the treatment option that provides the best survival. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration is an effective non-surgical technique for lymph node staging of lung cancer and diagnosis of mediastinal lesions via bronchoscopy. Here we discuss a case of pulmonary artery sarcoma diagnosed by this method, the second one in the literature, which serves to illustrate its potential use for early and minimally invasive diagnosis of the condition. Although such aspiration is a safe procedure, tissue sampling of extravascular extensions is advisable wherever possible.