Electrobronchial ultrasound, also known as EBUS, is a procedure that helps doctors diagnose lung disease and lung cancer. Doctors also use EBUS to take lymph node samples to determine if lung cancer has spread to other areas.

During EBUS, a doctor inserts a small, flexible tube into your airway. An ultrasound device on the end of the tube provides real-time images of your lungs. EBUS is effective because it allows the surgical team to see parts of the lungs that otherwise would be difficult to view. The procedure also provides a noninvasive method for doctors to access smaller lymph nodes or tumors.

By viewing real-time images produced by the ultrasound device, doctors can precisely extract tissue samples from a targeted area and avoid the surrounding, healthy tissue.

The EBUS procedure usually takes 30 minutes to one hour. Most people recover quickly and go home the same day.