Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of virtual bronchoscopy (VB) compared to conventional bronchoscopies (CB) (fiberoptic (FOB) or rigid (RB)) and the viability of their use by thoracic surgeons.
Background: VB is a recent method that allows visualization and evaluation of the tracheobronchial tree down to the fourth order branches. In comparison with FOB, VB is able to visualize areas beyond even high-grade stenoses, also extra luminal compressions can be analyzed and evaluated with virtual representation. RB can be quite distressing to the patient, and even more so if the scope cannot reach the region of interest. CB are less troublesome in these regards, but VB that, in showing a lesion is inaccessible, could eliminate an unnecessary procedure or, alternatively, map the most effective route for scoping.
Methods: This study included fifty patients with different lesions of the thorax. All of them were admitted to Benha university hospitals from October 2012 to October 2015. Cases were selected retrospectively and randomly from patients undergoing CT examination of the chest for various reasons, and then examined with either FOB or RB. Both examinations were reviewed by radiologists and thoracic surgeons. These results were compared with each others.
Results: VB has the potential value of decreasing bronchoscopy procedure time by directly guiding the thoracic surgeon to an obstructing airway lesion, also the imager is able to view the extraluminal structure and showing the best approach for transbronchial needle sampling.
Conclusion: Although VB is a promising imaging tool, this technique is not currently used in daily clinical practice and more randomized clinical trials are necessary to prove its clinical use. Nevertheless, it seems valuable to review its potential clinical indications. So both VB and CB might be considered as complementary modalities.