Minimally Invasive Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Prevea Pulmonologist Manar Alshahrouri, MD, is the first physician in Northeast Wisconsin to offer patients a new, minimally invasive method for performing lung biopsies.

During this procedure, called endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), Dr. Alshahrouri inserts a scope featuring ultrasound capabilities through the patient's airway and into the lung. The ultrasound images produced by the scope allow the doctor to identify suspect lymph nodes and then insert a small needle to remove tissue for the biopsy.

"Before EBUS, doctors would either surgically open a patient's chest to take a biopsy—which is highly invasive—or they would try using computerized tomography (CT) scans to guide the biopsy needle, which isn't as accurate," said Dr. Alshahrouri. "But with the ultrasound images produced using EBUS, I can watch the needle go directly into the lymph node."

In addition to being minimally invasive, the precision of EBUS allows for more accurate diagnosis of lung cancer and helps physicians better assess the stage of the lung cancer. "Using EBUS, we're able to get superior results while causing the least amount of stress to the patient."

Dr. Alshahrouri offers endobronchial ultrasound at Prevea's partner hospital St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. For more information, call (920) 272-1240.