Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Chronic Pulmonary Infection

Fourteen patients, with abnormalities on their chest radiographs found over a period ofor = 4 weeks and diagnosed as chronic pulmonary infections in the follow-up, underwent ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-guided FNAB). Six patients also underwent color Doppler ultrasound examination before needle aspiration biopsy. Nine patients had a confirmed diagnosis [tuberculosis (n = 1), cryptococcosis (n = 3), actinomycosis (n = 2), and aspergillosis (n = 1)] or a suggestive diagnosis [caseating granulomatous inflammation (n = 1) and caseous necrosis (n = 1)] made after US-guided FNAB. The remaining 5 patients were finally diagnosed by US-guided large-bore cutting biopsy (n = 1, tuberculosis) and surgical resection [aspergillosis and organized pneumonia (n = 1), mucormycosis and organized pneumonia (n = 1), penicillium infection and organized pneumonia (n = 1), and cryptococcosis (n = 1)]. In 8 patients receiving gray scale US examination only, complications developed in 2 patients after US-guided FNAB [minimal pneumothorax (n = 1) and hemoptysis (n = 1)]. Of the 6 patients who also underwent color Doppler US examination, 4 had detectable blood vessels within the lesion. Thus, the site for US-guided FNAB was changed in 2 patients to prevent injury to prominent blood vessels. There were no complications observed following color Doppler US examination. We conclude that US-guided FNAB is useful for diagnosing chronic pulmonary infections, and color Doppler US is valuable for preventing injury to blood vessels.