Diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism by endobronchial ultrasound as an incidental finding.

detected a tumour obstructing the apical segmental bronchus of the left lower lobe. The tumour was biopsied and identified as undifferentiated large cell carcinoma. The patient was referred to the regional hospital for scheduling of endobronchial ultrasound with real-time transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-rt-TBNA) for staging. The following week, the patient suffered a brief syncopal episode. He was seen at the emergency department of A 64-year-old male smoker visited his general practitioner complaining of persistent cough. A chest radiograph showed a mass in the left lower lobe. A computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed the finding and also showed mediastinal nodal enlargement. After the CT scan, the patient suffered a rash and dyspnoea, which were assumed to be the result of allergy to the iodinecontaining contrast medium. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy Published online: August 3, 2010