Abstract:Abstract: Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy guidance transbronchial lung cryobiopsy for solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN). Methods 76 patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions (diameter < 3.0 cm) who experienced diverse manners of transbronchial lung biopsy from January 1, 2016 to July 8, 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy guidance cryobiopsy (ENBCB) group and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy guidance lung biopsy (ENBLB) group. We compared the size of biopsy specimens, diagnostic yield, operation time and complications between these two groups. The final diagnosis was identified by pathologic examination of surgically resected lesions or by 2 year follow-up until clinical cure stage. Results The lesion size of the ENBCB group, the ENBLB group were (21.0 ± 8.0) mm, (22.0 ± 8.0) mm. Furthermore, no significant difference was found in diagnostic yields by lesion size (t = 0.68, P = 0.590). The size of biopsy specimens in ENBCB group (10.5 ± 4.2) mm2 is bigger than that in ENBLB group (2.9 ± 1.3) mm2 (t = -14.56, P < 0.05). Pathological results indicated that the diagnostic yield of ENBCB group was 89.2% (33/37) and that of ENBLB group was 69.2% (27/39), the difference between the addressed groups being statistical significant (χ2 = 4.55, P = 0.033). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that , as the lesion diameter was 2.0 ~ 3.0 cm, there was no statistical difference of diagnostic yield between the two groups (χ2 = 0.00, P = 1.000), while as the lesion diameter was < 2.0 cm, the diagnostic yield in ENBCB group was increased compared with ENBLB group (χ2 = 4.88, P = 0.027). The procedure time remained significantly longer in the ENBCB group (64.7 ± 14.2) min than ENBLB group (36.4 ± 12.8) min (t = -18.78, P = 0.002). There was no pneumothorax or severe bleeding after operation. The rate of mild to moderate bleeding in ENBCB group and ENBLB group was 40.5% (15/37) and 17.9% (7/39) (χ2 = 4.71, P = 0.030) respectively. Conclusions Compared with ENBLB biopsy group, the procedure time of ENBCB group remained significantly longer. However, ENBCB for small peripheral pulmonary lesions is secure, and has higher diagnostic rate.