title: CT percutaneous biopsy guns: comparison of end-cut and side-notch devices in cadaveric specimens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacies of four different types of end-cut biopsy guns with the side-notch Tru-cut biopsy gun.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 25 liver, 15 kidney, 10 pancreas, and 15 breast biopsies were performed in the tissue from five autopsies with each of 12 different biopsy devices/biopsy depths. The tissue obtained was evaluated by an experienced cytopathologist who, not knowing which gun was used to obtain each specimen, used a predetermined grading scheme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When tissue was obtained, the end-cut biopsy guns performed equivalently to the side-notch biopsy gun in all four tissues. However, the end-cut guns had a significant number of "zero" biopsies (biopsy attempts during which no tissue was obtained). The proportion of zero biopsies with the end-cut guns ranged from up to 28% in the liver to 60% and 73% in the breast and kidney, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The end-cut biopsy guns are easy to use and potentially can obtain high-quality specimens. However, the rate of zero biopsies during which no tissue is obtained is a serious deficiency. As a result, the use of the end-cut biopsy gun should be encouraged only for use with an introducer, with which multiple biopsy specimens can easily be obtained without additional needle punctures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey 17033.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Abendroth
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Sturtz
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hartzel
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Potok
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed