INTRODUCTION
Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung lesions under image guidance has been shown to be a safe and effective minimally invasive method of obtaining adequate specimen for either histological or cytological analysis[1, 3-4, 7-12] Computed tomography offers the most accurate method of localizing lung biopsies[13]. Development and improvement of specific needle types have led to the acceptance of this technique making it an indispensable method in diagnosis of focal pulmonary pathology[14]. Indeed, it provides a viable alternative to other available diagnostic methods such as bronchoscopy, sputum analysis and thoracotomy[6]. Percutaneous CT guided biopsies of lung lesions are performed either by using fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) or core needle biopsy technique with or without the coaxial system. …show more content…
Several studies have been done to assess the diagnostic yield of these two techniques. Both techniques show high diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for malignancy [15]. However, with development of individualized and targeted therapy of specific lung cancer histological subtypes, CT guided core needle biopsy technique has gained more ground as it avails more tissue both for histological and biomarker profile analysis[16-17]. It provides multiple large specimens for more accurate classification and specific diagnosis particularly for benign lesions. With regard to malignant lesions core needle biopsy shows higher diagnostic accuracy compared to FNAB without significant increase in complication rates. In addition, adequate tissue is obtained for molecular analysis with pneumothorax rate paralleling that of
Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung lesions under image guidance has been shown to be a safe and effective minimally invasive method of obtaining adequate specimen for either histological or cytological analysis[1, 3-4, 7-12] Computed tomography offers the most accurate method of localizing lung biopsies[13]. Development and improvement of specific needle types have led to the acceptance of this technique making it an indispensable method in diagnosis of focal pulmonary pathology[14]. Indeed, it provides a viable alternative to other available diagnostic methods such as bronchoscopy, sputum analysis and thoracotomy[6]. Percutaneous CT guided biopsies of lung lesions are performed either by using fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) or core needle biopsy technique with or without the coaxial system. …show more content…
Several studies have been done to assess the diagnostic yield of these two techniques. Both techniques show high diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for malignancy [15]. However, with development of individualized and targeted therapy of specific lung cancer histological subtypes, CT guided core needle biopsy technique has gained more ground as it avails more tissue both for histological and biomarker profile analysis[16-17]. It provides multiple large specimens for more accurate classification and specific diagnosis particularly for benign lesions. With regard to malignant lesions core needle biopsy shows higher diagnostic accuracy compared to FNAB without significant increase in complication rates. In addition, adequate tissue is obtained for molecular analysis with pneumothorax rate paralleling that of