title: Percutaneous CT-guided fine-needle aspiration of pulmonary lesions: Results and complications in 409 patients.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to report our centre's experience in the results and complications of percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy. A retrospective review of 409 patients who underwent percutaneous CT-guided fine-needle aspiration of suspicious lung lesions for more than 5 years was carried out. Nodule sizes ranged from 0.6 to 10 cm. The calibre of the needle used was 21-23 G. Specimen adequacy and patient outcome were evaluated. Each case was reviewed for complications. Sufficient diagnostic material was obtained in 369 (90%) of the 409 fine-needle aspirations. Diagnosis was malignancy in 290 (70%) samples, four (1%) samples were suspicious for malignancy, 65 (16%) samples were negative for malignancy and definite benign findings were identified in 10 (3%) specimens. There were 25 false-negative cases and one false-positive case. Sensitivity was 92% and specificity 98%. Pneumothorax was the most common complication and occurred in 17 (4%) patients. Only one of them required thoracic drainage. Blood effusion around the lesion or along the needle track was detected on the post-biopsy CT in 8 (2%) patients. However, only one of them suffered from a mild haemoptysis. Percutaneous CT-guided biopsy is an effective and fast procedure for diagnosis of suspected pulmonary malignancy, with a low complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Departments of CT and MRI, Diagnostic and Theraputic Center of Athens, Hygeia, Athens, Greece. fotisdimi@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laspas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roussakis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Efthimiadou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papaioannou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andreou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome