Percutaneous adrenal biopsy: review of a 10-year experience.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the indications for and complications, accuracy, and techniques of percutaneous adrenal biopsy performed from 1982 through 1991 at the authors' institution.


METHODS
Two hundred seventy-seven percutaneous adrenal biopsies were performed in 270 patients (175 male and 102 female patients, aged 31-84 years). Imaging studies and histories were reviewed, and each patient's case was followed up for at least 1 year after the biopsy. A patient was excluded from the study only if follow-up data could not be obtained.


RESULTS
The accuracy of percutaneous adrenal biopsy was 90% (249 of 277 biopsies). In the first 5 years of the study, the accuracy was 85% (87 of 102 biopsies); in the latter 5 years it was 93% (163 of 175 biopsies). The sensitivity was 81%, and the specificity was 99%. The positive predictive value was 99%, and the negative predictive value was 80%. The complication rate was 2.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
Percutaneous biopsy is a safe, accurate procedure for the diagnosis of pathologic conditions of the adrenal glands. The most common indication for a biopsy is the presence of an adrenal mass in a patient with lung cancer.
Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
T J
TJ
Welch
P F
PF
Sheedy
D H
DH
Stephens
C M
CM
Johnson
S J
SJ
Swensen
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity