title: A comparison of Abrams and Raja pleural biopsy needles.
abstract: The diagnostic yield of the recently developed Raja pleural biopsy needle was compared to that of the Abrams needle. Paired biopsies were obtained in 12 cases. In two cases the Raja yielded a diagnosis of malignancy when the Abrams was negative, and in two other cases (one TB and one leukaemia) the Raja provided more specific diagnostic material. There were no cases where the Abrams provided information not present in a Raja biopsy. In our hands, the Raja pleural biopsy needle gave a diagnostic yield superior to the Abrams needle.
authors.affiliation: Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yung
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D010994:Pleura / Q000473:pathology*