title: Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy in AIDS: analysis in 32 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A retrospective study was performed to determine the success of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) as an aid in diagnosing focal chest and mediastinal disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group was composed of 32 patients seropositive for HIV; 31 of these patients had known AIDS. The subjects underwent chest radiography, computed tomography, and TNB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 27 of the 32 patients a specific diagnosis was enabled by TNB. Bronchogenic carcinoma was diagnosed most frequently, although infectious agents were isolated in most patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNB is a safe and effective procedure for evaluation of focal thoracic disease in this patient population and provides information that is often unavailable from alternative diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, San Francisco General Hospital 1X-55, CA 94110.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gruden
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000382:microbiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000382:microbiology; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed