Li Peng, Wu Cen, Zheng Wei, Zhao Li
The 1st Department of Respiratory Medicine and Medical Intensive Care Unit, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
J Thorac Dis. 2017 Dec;9(12):5345-5351. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.12.102.
The current standard methods for detecting pulmonary artery diseases are pulmonary artery enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan and pulmonary arteriography. However, some patients cannot tolerate these procedures for various reasons. The present study aimed to investigate the feasibility and operation process of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) in exploring the pulmonary artery.
Based on normal contrast-enhanced chest CT images, the sites and process for exploring the pulmonary arteries were established. Then the feasibility of the exploration by the convex probe EBUS were evaluated, and roadmaps for exploration of the pulmonary arteries were drawn.
Among patients who underwent pulmonary artery exploration, sonograms of the left and right pulmonary artery were obtained by the convex probe EBUS. The above-mentioned pulmonary artery branches can be positioned by means of anatomical markers under the bronchoscopic view and follow a certain route for continuous exploration. Sonograms had a certain degree of identification and can be used as an auxiliary tool for pulmonary artery exploration.
EBUS can be used to explore the main branches of the pulmonary artery continuously. Therefore, EBUS could be considered as a candidate for the diagnosis of pulmonary artery diseases in a selected group of patients, i.e., patient with contrast allergy or renal failure.
目前检测肺动脉疾病的标准方法是肺动脉增强计算机断层扫描（CT）和肺动脉造影。然而，部分患者因各种原因无法耐受这些检查。本研究旨在探讨支气管内超声（EBUS）在探查肺动脉方面的可行性及操作过程。
基于正常的胸部增强CT图像，确定探查肺动脉的部位及过程。然后评估凸阵探头EBUS进行探查的可行性，并绘制肺动脉探查路线图。
在接受肺动脉探查的患者中，通过凸阵探头EBUS获得了左右肺动脉的超声图像。上述肺动脉分支可在支气管镜视野下借助解剖标志进行定位，并沿一定路径进行连续探查。超声图像具有一定的辨识度，可作为肺动脉探查的辅助工具。
EBUS可用于连续探查肺动脉的主要分支。因此，对于特定患者群体，如对比剂过敏或肾衰竭患者，EBUS可被视为诊断肺动脉疾病的一种选择。
