title: Stereotactic biopsy for intracranial space-occupying lesions: clinical analysis of 550 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of stereotactic biopsy in planning the optimal management of intracranial space-occupying lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between December 1989 and December 1999, stereotactic biopsy was performed in 550 patients with intracranial mass lesions that were deep-seated or located in the functional area. There were 340 males and 210 females, and their ages ranged from 4 to 75 years. All the procedures were done under local anesthesia with a Leksell stereotactic system. A CT scan was used to determine the coordinates in the first 420 cases and the Aero Tech Stereotactic Surgical Plan System in the subsequent 130 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Brain tumors were diagnosed pathologically in 475 patients (86.4%), inflammatory process in 44 (8.0%), other lesions in 12 (2.2%) and no conclusive diagnosis was found in 19 (3.4%). The overall positive rate of biopsy was 96.6%, and the positive rate for brain tumor was 86.4%. Intracranial hematomas after biopsy were found in 13 cases (2.4%). Seizures occurred during the operation in 7 cases (1.2%), and slight and transient neurological deficits were found in 23 cases (4.2%). There were no deaths or other serious complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the stereotactic biopsy is a reliable method to obtain histopathological diagnosis of intracranial mass lesions, and it is also of great help in selecting the appropriate management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Navy General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China. Yuxin37@263.net
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jing
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed