الفهرس 
ANATOMY OF THE TRACHEOBRONCHIAL TREEOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Bronchial tumours considered one of the most common cancers in terms of both incidence and mortality. So, adequate and early diagnosis of the tumour is required for proper management.
The FOB is considered the ‘gold standard’ for the detection and diagnosis of tracheobronchial pathology because it permits direct visualization of the airway lumen. It can detect early tumor infiltration by picking up subtle mucosal changes. Also, biopsies can be taken for appropriate histopathological analysis.
With the advances in technology, VB makes it possible to navigate the airways and to determine extra-bronchial abnormalities. VB is a type of three dimensional reconstructions.
Our study included 50 patients that were histopathologically proved to have bronchial tumor. VB images were obtained via processing of the axial CT images. Both the axial images and the virtual bronchoscopy images were evaluated together thus all information surrounding the tracheobronchial tree was available.
The results of both FOB and VB were compared regarding the presence of endo-bronchial mass with and without extra-bronchial component, extra-bronchial mass, degree of bronchial occlusion, external compression, ability to bypass the lesion, mucosal abnormality detection and detection of extrinsic compression.
Our study revealed that the FOB has the advantage of detection of mucosal changes and the ability to take a biopsy.
In controversy, the VB has the advantage of detection of the extra-bronchial abnormalities which are important for staging, proper treatment and follow up of the tumor. Also, VB was able to bypass the tumor to visualize the bronchial tree beyond the tumor. Also, the current study revealed that, only the VB had the capability to detect the extra-luminal component of the endo-bronchial mass lesions and the extra-bronchial component of the extra-bronchial mass with endo-bronchial extension which is important for determination of the actual tumoral size needed for appropriate treatment and follow up.