Using minimally invasive techniques, we visualize, biopsy and stage lung and thoracic tumors. In doing so, we can minimize the risk of more invasive treatments. Critical biopsy procedures using interventional techniques are easier and more accurate, and can treat areas in the lungs that would otherwise be inaccessible without surgery.

Interventional pulmonology can provide immediate relief to patients with cancer of the trachea or windpipes (right or left bronchus), meaning there may be no need to wait for chemotherapy or radiation before the airway can be opened.

It is a medical procedure by an medical instrument called bronchoscope which  is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens used for viewing. It may also have a tool designed to remove tissue that can later be examined for signs of disease. The bronchoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth and used to examine the inside of the trachea, bronchi and lungs

EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound) bronchoscopy is a procedure used to diagnose different types of lung disorders, including inflammation, infections or cancer. Performed by a pulmonologist, EBUS bronchoscopy uses a flexible tube that goes through your mouth and into your windpipe and lungs. 

EBUS combines bronchoscopy with ultrasound imaging. It helps to safely evaluate chest lymph nodes by providing a biopsy of enlarged lymph nodes under direct visualization.

Thoracoscopy is a procedure a doctor uses to look at the Pleural space inside the chest (outside of the lungs). This is done with a thoracoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and a small video camera on the end. The tube is put in through a small cut made near the lower end of the shoulder blade between the ribs. 

These are down-the-throat biopsies involve guiding tools down your throat into wind-pipe or esophagus.

What Is It?

A minimally invasive procedure that uses a bronchoscope to collect tissue samples from the lungs in order to determine whether cancer is present and how far it has spread. The advantages of transbronchial biopsies are that they are relatively easy

to do and give doctors a clear picture of tissue in the airways.

When Is It Used?

Transbronchial biopsies are often used to examine tissue or nodules in the airways.

What Happens During the Procedure?

The patient is given an intravenous sedation and a numbing spray in the throat to prevent gagging. The flexible bronchoscope is then inserted into the nose or mouth and fed down to the airways. Imaging, like an ultrasound or CT scan, helps doctors guide the bronchoscope to the right place. The bronchoscope contains a tiny light and camera for doctors to see inside the

lung. It also has small forceps used to remove tissue samples. Once the samples are collected, the tube is removed, and the samples are sent for pathologic and microscopic evaluation

Lung nodules are very common — in adults, they are visible on up to 50%Trusted Source of chest CT scans. Fortunately, fewer than 5% of lung nodules turn out to be cancerous.

In this article, we look at the possible causes of lung nodules, their symptoms, and how doctors diagnose and treat them.

A lung nodule does not always indicate lung cancer, and most of these nodules are noncancerous.

Noncancerous lung nodules can have a variety of causes, including:

• Current infections: Infectious illnesses that affect the lungs, such as tuberculosis or fungal infections, can cause inflammation. A cluster of cells called a granuloma may form in an inflamed area, giving the appearance of a nodule.
• Past infections: An area of scarring from a previous infection can also show up as a nodule on a scan.
• Noninfectious inflammation: Inflammation that does not stem from an infection can also form nodules in the lung. The underlying cause may be rheumatoid arthritis or sarcoidosis, for example.
• Noncancerous tumors: Other noncancerous growths, such as a pulmonary hematoma, may develop in the lung.

If a lung nodule is malignant, prompt treatment is necessary.

If any growth in the lung is larger than 3 centimeters (cm), about 1.2 inches, doctors refer to it as a “mass.” Lung masses are more likely to be cancerous, so doctors consider them to be indications of cancer unless testing shows that they are benign.

For more pictorial information please go to the link below

https://www.biodesix.com/newsroom/blog/infographic-what-is-a-lung-nodule