Scoop biopsy of intracaval tumor thrombi: a preliminary report of a minimally invasive technique to obtain large samples.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to safely improve the yield of intracaval biopsy.


METHODS
A co-axial system was composed of an inner catheter with a smoothly tapered tip with a shark jaw, and an outer sheath. The biopsy procedure consisted of four steps: (1) the tip was stuck into the target thrombi; (2) the inner sheath was advanced deeply into the target and the jaw was opened within the mass; (3) the outer sheath was advanced to envelope the inner cather; (4) then the system was withdrawn. After simulation experiments seven patients underwent this scoop biopsy.


RESULTS
A simulation experiment proved that this technique brought much larger samples with minimal damage of the target surface. Seven patients who had been suspected of intracaval tumor thrombi underwent this procedure and confidential pathological examination without any complications.


CONCLUSIONS
This scoop biopsy procedure was thought to be helpful in obtaining large samples safely.
Kishi
K
K
Department of Radiology, Wakayama Medical College, Japan.
Sonomura
T
T
Terada
M
M
Sato
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*