Biopsy Of Pulmonary Nodules Research Articles

Computed tomography-guided cutting needle biopsy of pulmonary lesions.

To report the experience of a radiology department in the use of computed tomography - guided cutting needle biopsy of pulmonary nodules, by evaluating diagnostic yield and incidence of complications. This is a retrospective analysis of 52 consecutive patients who underwent lung lesion biopsy guided by computed tomography, performed between May 1997 and May 2000. Thirty-five patients were male and 17 were female, with ages ranging from 5 to 85 years (median, 62 years). The size of the lesions ranged from 1.8 to 15 cm (median, 5.4 cm). In a total of 52 biopsies of lung lesions, 51 biopsies (98.1%) supplied appropriate material for histopathological diagnosis, with 9 diagnosed (17.3%) as benign and 42 (80.8%) as malignant lesions. Specific diagnosis was obtained in 44 (84.6%) biopsies: 4 benign (9.1%) and 40 (90.9%) malignant lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the cutting needle biopsies for determining presence of malignancy were 96.8%, 100%, and 97.2%, respectively. Complications occurred in 9 cases (17.3%), including 6 cases (11.5%) of small pneumothorax, 1 (1.9%) of hemoptysis, 1 (1.9%) of pulmonary hematoma, and 1 (1.9%) of thoracic wall hematoma. All had spontaneous resolution. There were no complications requiring subsequent intervention. The high sensitivity and specificity of the method and the low rate of complications have established cutting needle biopsy as an efficient and safe tool for the diagnosis of lung lesions. In our hospital, cutting needle biopsy is considered a reliable procedure for the evaluation of indeterminate pulmonary nodules.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Resection of Pulmonary Nodules: Preoperative Localization with India Ink

ABSTRACT Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been used increasingly for the biopsy of pulmonary nodules. In cases where the nodule is small or intrapulmonary, thoracoscopic visualizatio...

Pitfalls in CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of pulmonary nodules.

Successful performance of transthoracic needle biopsy of pulmonary nodules under computed tomographic (CT) guidance requires both accurate placement of the needle tip within the nodule and withdrawal of an adequate sample from the lesion. Failure to complete the biopsy procedure or to establish a definitive tissue diagnosis may be due to a number of factors. Potential pitfalls in transthoracic needle biopsy include technical factors related to the patient, CT scanning, or the biopsy needle; factors related to the size, location, or internal characteristics of the nodule or to an abnormality within adjacent parenchyma; and complications that may occur during transthoracic needle biopsy, such as pneumothorax or parenchymal hemorrhage. Awareness of how these pitfalls may be avoided or minimized should help expedite the performance of transthoracic needle biopsy and increase the likelihood of a diagnostic result.