To the Editors:
In the March 2005 issue of theEuropean Respiratory Journal, three original articles by Annemaet al.1, Caddyet al.2, and Rintoulet al.3, accompanied by an editorial by Vilmann and Larsen4, appeared on ultrasound (US)-guided endoscopic needle aspiration of mediastinal lymph nodes. All of these articles unquestionably contribute to the growing body of evidence that sampling of lymph nodes or masses in the chest using an endoscopic tool has a high yield and is safe. This letter was prompted by the new meaning of the abbreviation “EUS”. The term endoscopy in the chest comprises the four entities: bronchoscopy, oesophagoscopy, mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy. When talking about endoscopy only, the access to the chest is not …