Study on the application of percutaneous closed pleural brushing combined with cell block technique in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.

Compared with CPB, CPBR followed by the cell block technique can significantly increase the positive diagnostic rate of suspected MPE. CEA testing of pleural fluid after CPBR has a high predictive efficacy for EGFR mutation in lung adenocarcinoma patients with MPE, implying pleural fluid extracted for cell block after CPBR may be an ideal specimen for genetic testing.