Lymph nodes in the neck are situated in the mediastinum at various location. Thoracoscopy is a medical procedure involving internal examination, biopsy, and/or resection of diseased lymph nodes within the pleural cavity and thoracic cavity. Thoracoscopy in children is usually performed under general anaesthesia.

Patients suffering from any compressive or infective symptoms may be subjected to the test. Clinically prolonged cough, fever or weight loss may give suspicion to pathology in the chest leading to such symptoms. Usually a CT scan of the chest should lead to diagnosis of nodes in the mediastinal cavity. A biopsy of such nodes will give the confirmative diagnosis of the lesion and correct treatment can be started.

The biopsy can be performed under CT guidance or thoracoscopically. Thoracoscopy is preferred in children if complete sampling of the node is required. The video below demonstrates a thorcoscopic lymph node biopsy.