Percutaneous localisation of pulmonary nodules prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery using methylene blue and TC-99.

The widespread use of computed tomography (CT) scans for evaluating patients has resulted in the detection of many small solitary pulmonary nodules of uncertain significance. Workup of these nodules can be expensive and emotionally draining, especially in patients who have an established diagnosis of malignancy. Since the early 1990s, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has become a procedure of choice in the workup and therapy of small lung lesions.