Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of thyroid: Report of two cases and systematic review of literature

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive and safe technique for a sampling of mediastinal lesions. Indications for EBUS-TBNA have gradually expanded since its introduction. The usual approach to cytological sampling of the thyroid gland is percutaneous ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) performed under local anesthesia. US-FNA may be risky or not feasible in intrathoracic/substernal thyroid location. Feasibility of aspirating thyroid lesions with EBUS-TBNA has been occasionally reported. We report two patients wherein EBUS-TBNA was utilized for thyroid lesion aspiration and definitive diagnosis. We highlight the utility and safety of EBUS-TBNA in the evaluation of intrathoracic thyroid lesions wherein image-guided percutaneous aspiration may be risky/sometimes impossible to perform. A systematic review of literature has also been performed summarizing and discussing the issues pertaining to EBUS-TBNA of the thyroid gland.