A picture is worth a thousand words and for doctors at one local hospital, a new endoscopic procedure not only provides a clear image of patients’ lymph nodes, but a wealth of knowledge for further treatment of lung cancer.

An endobronchial ultrasound allows doctors access to patients’ lymph nodes within the lungs in a way that used to require invasive surgery. Through a simple bronchoscopy, the procedure allows professionals to accurately stage cancer growth on nodes or to differentiate from other diseases.

Relatively new to the area, pulmonary medicine physician Keith Kelly performed the first EBUS procedure at Western Baptist Hospital in late February and has since performed six additional.

“If we’re able to make a diagnosis through this procedure, it simplifies the surgical procedures that might be contemplated and helps the surgeon to see whether surgery is an option or not,” Kelly said.

During the procedure, a bronchoscope is passed down the patient’s trachea and into the lungs. Once positioned at the node, ultrasound waves are emitted to produce images, which are then assessed to help determine cancer growth. If suspicious areas are found, the scope can take a biopsy without the need for major surgery.

Although the procedure is only recommended in specific circumstances, Kelly said for those situations that need an accurate assessment of cancer growth, the procedure is extremely beneficial.

“It’s a big step in the right direction of fighting cancer,” Kelly said.

Harriet Byers, coordinator for the Center of Digestive and Pulmonary Health at Western Baptist Hospital, said before the arrival of EBUS, health care professionals had to approximate the location of lymph nodes for needle aspirate sampling with about a 40 percent accuracy rate.

The ultrasound image allows doctors to individually treat a patient’s symptoms on a case-by-case scenario. Even if the procedure finds no cancer, it can still highlight other cases such as hystoplasmosis or sarcoidosis that would normally involve major surgery to uncover.

“When you get a new procedure that’s really going to help the patient, it gets you excited and pumped up that ‘yes, we really are helping the patient,’ and we’re all excited about this,” Byers said.

Call Will Pinkston, a Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8676.