1991 Volume 31 Issue 4 Pages 489-496
Fifteen patients with a superior pulmonary sulcus tumor (Pancoast tumor) were examined by ultrasonography and ultrasonically guided percutaneous needle biopsy and/ or cytology. Ultrasonograms demonstrated the location of the tumor, the relationship of tumor to the surrounding structures such as vessels, muscles, bones and the brachial plexus. It was of particular value in evaluating the chest wall invasion of the superior sulcus tumor, because it provided direct coronal and sagittal sections.
Ultrasonically guided needle biopsy was performed 14 times and malignancy was determined in 13 patients (13/14, 92.9%). Cytology specimens were obtained 15 times and the malignancy was determined in 7 patients (7/15, 46.7%) by an ultrasonically guided puncture. No complications such as hemorrhage or pneumothorax were encountered. On the other hand, diagnosis was made in 4/24 (16.7%) by sputum cytology, 0/6 (0%) by TBLB and 2/9 (22.2%) by bronchoscopic fluoroscopic guided cytology (washing or curettage). Ultrasonic examination was very useful for evaluation of the localization of the tumor and tumor extent as well as providing pathologic diagnostic results far superior to other existing methods.
