Bronchoscopic techniques used in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer

With the greater use of chest CT, the incidental detection of lung nodules is expected to increase. However, because most lung nodules are benign, there is a high demand for minimally invasive procedures that provide valuable diagnostic information while minimizing complications. Recent advances in bronchoscopic technology meet this demand. These advanced technologies include navigational bronchoscopy and radial endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for the diagnosis of peripheral lung nodules, and linear EBUS, which has revolutionized the nonoperative nodal staging of lung cancer and provides a complementary option to surgical staging approaches. This article reviews these new bronchoscopic technologies.