Transbronchial needle aspiration(TBNA) is able to provide definitive answers for a wide variety of pulmonary benign and malignant diseases including infectious diseases,cystic lesions, granulomatous diseases, pulmonary and mediastinal mass, etc. It's proved particularly revolutionary to stage bronchogenic carcinoma during routine flexible bronchoscopy. What's more, TBNA is an extremely safe procedure with no reported major complications. This review introduces the techniques about identifying the target, obtaining the specimen and preparing and interpreting the specimen when conducting TBNA. The complications, a through unusual, and major limitations are also touched in this review.