title: Transthoracic hilar and mediastinal biopsy.
abstract: Transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) of the mediastinum is an accurate, safe, and cost-effective diagnostic tool for the evaluation of mediastinal masses and lymphadenopathy. The technique is most useful in the staging of carcinoma, where it serves as a less expensive and minimally invasive alternative to mediastinoscopy for establishing unresectability. With recent advances in immunohistochemical and core-biopsy techniques, TNB has become more accurate for establishing the initial diagnosis of lymphoma and for confirming recurrent disease. Core-needle biopsy has improved the accuracy of TNB and is particularly useful when fine-needle aspiration fails to yield a specific diagnosis, or when lymphoma or a noncarcinomatous lesion is suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Protopapas
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Westcott
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D013909:Thorax; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed