title: Ultrasound-guided omental biopsy: Review of 173 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Omental biopsy has conventionally been performed using a surgical approach. USG-guided omental biopsy is a safe and effective alternative. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of USG guidance for biopsy of the greater omentum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed all omental biopsies performed under USG guidance from April 2006 to March 2010 in a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-three patients were included. Out of these, 82 (47%) patients were diagnosed to have malignancies, 58 (34%) patients had granulomatous inflammation either suggestive of or consistent with tuberculosis, 29 (17%) patients were diagnosed to have inconclusive biopsy results, and 4 (2%) patients had an inadequate sample for histopathological examination. There were no major procedure-related complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  USG-guided biopsy of the omentum is a safe and effective procedure. A thickened omentum can serve as an easily accessible site for biopsy, especially in patients who have ascites of unknown etiology and in those with a history of previous malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu - 632 004, India.
authors.forename: Padmapriya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Govindarajan
authors.forename: Shyamkumar N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Keshava