Transthoracic biopsy with core cutting needle (Trucut) for the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the contribution of percutaneous biopsy with core cutting needle (Trucut) in the diagnosis of mediastinal tumours.


METHODS
Retrospective review of 56 patients with mediastinal lesions who underwent percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy, oriented but not guided by computer assisted tomography of the thorax, 1999 - 2008.


RESULTS
Percutaneous biopsy with core cutting needle provided adequate material in 49/56, with a total positive sample rate of 88%. In 7/56 (12%) cases the material was insufficient to define the diagnosis. Percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy established a specific histological diagnosis in 88% of the patients: 23/56 (41%) lymphomas; 12/56 (21%) thymomas; 5/56 (3%) thymic carcinomas; 3/56 (2%) small cell carcinoma and 1/56 (0.6%) metastatic adenocarcinoma, metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, neuroendocrine primitive carcinoma, plasmocytoma, teratoma and goiter. All patients underwent thoracic X-ray after the procedure. No complications were found in these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy (Trucut) oriented but not guided by computer assisted tomography of the thorax is an easy and safe procedure which can provide a precise diagnosis in the majority of mediastinal tumours and can prevent the need for exploratory thoracic surgery in cases which are medically treatable or non-resectable.
Zamboni
Mauro
M
Pulmonologist, Thoracic Oncology Group, HC I - INCA/MS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. mauro.zamboni@gmail.com
Lannes
Deborah C
DC
Cordeiro
Paulo de Biasi
Pde B
Toscano
Edson
E
Torquato
Emanuel B
EB
Cordeiro
Samuel S de Biasi
SS
Cavalcanti
Aureliano
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D035441:Thoracic Wall; D055815:Young Adult