For Referring Physicians | EBUS-TBNA Referral Guide

Dr. Chhajed accepts referrals for EBUS-TBNA and related interventional pulmonology procedures from physicians across Mumbai, Western India, and beyond — with remote consultation available to coordinate care before any travel is needed.

For Oncologists

Staging, restaging & molecular testing

EBUS-TBNA is the first-line modality for mediastinal (N-stage) lung cancer staging in current international guidelines, and provides tissue adequate for molecular and genetic testing from a single minimally invasive procedure.

Mediastinal or hilar lymph node staging in confirmed or suspected lung cancer
Tissue diagnosis of a peripheral lung nodule or mass
Distinguishing metastatic from granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy
Suspected mediastinal lymphoma
Molecular/genetic testing tissue acquisition (EGFR, ALK, ROS1, PD-L1) — extra samples proactively taken when molecular testing may be needed

Vaidya PJ, Kate AH, Yasufuku K, Chhajed PN. EBUS-TBNA in lung cancer diagnosis and staging. Expert Rev Respir Med. 2015;9(1):45–53.

Dhooria S, Mehta RM, Madan K, et al. Multicenter Study on EBUS-TBNA/EUS-B-FNA in Mediastinal Lymphoma. J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol. 2019;26(3):199–209.

For Internal Medicine Physicians

When to refer

Undiagnosed or persistent breathlessness not explained by cardiac workup
An abnormal chest X-ray or CT scan requiring further characterization
Suspected interstitial lung disease requiring tissue diagnosis
Recurrent or non-resolving respiratory infections
A patient requiring bronchoscopy for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

For Infectious Disease Specialists

Tuberculosis & complex infections

Drug-sensitive or drug-resistant pulmonary and mediastinal tuberculosis requiring rapid microbiological diagnosis — extra samples proactively taken for TB GeneXpert and culture
Diagnostic uncertainty in HIV-affected patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy
Complex pulmonary infections not responding to standard treatment

Chhajed PN, Vaidya PJ, Mandovra N, et al. EBUS-TBNA in rapid microbiological diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy. ERJ Open Research. 2019;5(4):00008-2019.

Agrawal N, Vaidya PJ, Chhajed PN. EBUS-TBNA in HIV affected individuals. Lung India. 2018;35(5):371–372.

Why Experience Matters

EBUS-TBNA is a highly operator-dependent procedure — diagnostic accuracy and safety both improve significantly with experience and procedural volume.

89%

Sensitivity, published series

100%

Specificity, same series

160+

Publications

45+

Int'l faculty appearances