Safety and efficacy of image-guided percutaneous biopsies in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
BACKGROUND
After the invention of effective target agent therapy for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), percutaneous biopsies may be indicated for unresectable diseases or before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous biopsies for GISTs.


METHODS
Fifty-eight procedures of transluminal biopsies or image-guided percutaneous biopsies in 49 patients at our Institution from 1999 to 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
Twenty-three transluminal biopsies, 20 ultrasonography-guided biopsies, and 15 CT-guided biopsies were performed. Failure rate was higher in the group of transluminal biopsies (17%). There is no major procedure-related complication in patients who underwent percutaneous biopsy. However, life-threatening bleeding after transluminal biopsies happened in two patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Image-guided percutaneous biopsy is a safe and efficient alternative tool for the diagnosis of patients with GISTs.
Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, and School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, No. 5 Fusing Street, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Chih-Hua
CH
Yeh
Kuang-Tse
KT
Pan
Sung-Yu
SY
Chu
Chien-Ming
CM
Chen
Ming-Yi
MY
Hsu
Chien-Fu
CF
Hung
Jeng-Hwei
JH
Tseng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*