BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEBy analyzing morpholoy and edge of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) images in 47 patients with pulmonary malignant lesions. The aim of this study is to explore the role of EBUS in the diagnosis of pulmonary malignant lesions.

METHODSFrom June 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006, EBUS analysis was performed in a proportion of patients with malignant or benign lesions.

RESULTSIn total 78 patients of confirmed diagnosis, 47 cases were confirmed malignant lesions, and 31 were benign lesions, male 56 cases, female 22 cases, age span from 21-80 years (58.01 +/- 13.20). The statistics of the lesion edge imaging in 78 patients showed that different position and angle did not affect the morphous of the edge; analysis of the relationship between the size of the lesion and the morphous of the edge shows that the size of the lesion does not affect the morphous of the edge; the comparison between lesions of benign and malignant shows that a clear edge is the major feature of malignant lesions, indicating certain value in diagnosis; comparison between the shape of the lesion and the property of the lesion shows no relationship between them; compared to conventional bronchoscopy operations, the EBUS operation consumes approximately 10 min, and no related complication was found.

CONCLUSIONClear morphous of the edge in EBUS is a feature of the malignant lesion, and EBUS has certain value in the diagnosis of the malignant lesions.