Value of sonographically guided biopsy in the histological diagnosis of benign and malignant soft-tissue and bone tumors

Abstract

In 41 patients, an ultrasound guided needle biopsy for histological diagnosis of benign and malignant soft tissue and bone tumors was carried out. In 32 cases following ultrasound guided needle biopsy of the soft tissue component of tumor a final diagnosis could be histopathologically determined; in 5 additional cases, due to the small amount of biopsy, a tumor grouping was able to be ascertained, a further tumor differentiation however could not be made. In 4 cases with cystoid tumors it was not possible to make a diagnosis. The deciding advantage of the new method of ultrasound guided needle biopsy presented here, in comparison to the so called blind tumor biopsy, is that by way of a picture control on the ultrasound screen exact positioning of the biopsy needle is possible. The ultrasound monitor enables one to observe the biopsy procedure, various biopsies from different sites of the soft tissue components of the tumor are possible through one biopsy canal. The new method of the ultrasound guided needle biopsy of benign and malignant soft tissue and bone tumors should however only be carried out in tumor centers.