title: Angulated needle placement in CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy of the thorax.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous needle biopsy is often necessary to evaluate small intrathoracic lesions. Not infrequently, an overlying structure such as a rib or vessel precludes insertion of the biopsy needle within the CT slice containing the lesion. Insertion and angulation of the needle at a site within an adjacent CT slice is then required. In order to determine the optimal skin-entry site and degree of angulation for biopsy needle insertion, we analyzed the geometric relationship between lesion depth, needle length, and needle angulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York 10021.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Yankelevitz
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Henschke
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008433:Mathematics; D009339:Needles; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*