[Success and complication rate of CT-guided marking of pulmonary nodules with coil wires for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the success and complication rate of the CT-guided marking of pulmonary nodules for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).


METHODS
Pulmonary nodules (mean diameter 9 +/- 5 mm, mean pleural distance 7 +/- 5 mm) were marked with a coil wire in 30 patients (20 males, mean age 57.6 +/- 15.5 years, 22 patients with a history of malignancy). The intended coil-nodule distance was < or = 10 mm.


RESULTS
81 % of nodules were not visible by thoracoscopy. The technical success rate of CT-guided marking was 86.7 %. The projected nodule-coil distance was achieved in 90 % of cases. The procedure had to be changed from thoracoscopy to thoracotomy in 4 patients due to coil wire marking problems: 2 x coil displacement, 1 x coil-nodule distance > 10 mm, unfavorable direction of wire. Histology was determined in all patients (70 % malignant, 30 % benign). Complications requiring therapy were not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The CT-guided marking of pulmonary nodules is a precondition for VATS if the nodule does not involve the visceral pleura in the majority of cases. The success rate is high with a low complication rate.
Krüger
K
K
Institut und Poliklinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Klinikum der Universität zu Köln. Karsten.Krueger@vivantes.de
Eyl
G
G
Morgenroth
C
C
Schneider
P
P
Hoelscher
A
A
Lackner
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods