title: Ultrasound-guided brain biopsy: a personal experience with emphasis on its indication.
abstract: Between January 1989 and June 1991, 40 ultrasound-guided biopsies of supratentorial brain lesions exceeding 15 mm in diameter were performed. The apparatus used was Berger's neurobiopsy set, intraoperative 5 = MHz transducer, and a B-mode scanner. In 38 cases (95%) the procedure provided a histological diagnosis at the first attempt; in two patients, early in the present series, biopsy was repeated by computed tomography-guided technique due to insufficient samples. Operative mortality was zero and there were no septic complications. Clinical symptoms were stationary after the procedure in 34 cases; two cases temporarily worsened due to postbiopsy edema and subcortical hemorrhage, respectively; and four other cases showed an improvement as a result of evacuation of neoplastic cysts. Histologically, there were 24 primary malignant tumors, eight low-grade glial tumors, five metastatic tumors, two abscesses, and one lymphoma. The ultrasound method for brain lesion biopsy was found to be a simple, quick, and low-cost method that gave reliable results. It is indicated for supratentorial lesions over 15 mm in diameter that do not demand absolute anatomical accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lunardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acqui
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maleci
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fortuna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography