title: In vitro comparison of a novel facilitated ultrasound targeting technology vs standard technique for percutaneous renal biopsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To improve the understanding of the epidemiology of renal cortical neoplasms through pretreatment biopsy, we evaluated a facilitated ultrasound targeting (FUT) technology. The technology allows a needle to be passed through the transducer probe and guided along a virtual dotted line on the monitor. We compared the FUT with standard percutaneous biopsy (PB) technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight participants with various levels of training were recruited. Participants performed ultrasound-guided biopsies on phantom models using FUT and the standard biopsy technique in a randomized sequence. The phantom models consisted of pimento olives embedded in an opaque mold of Metamucil and Knox gelatin. Patients were given up to 10 attempts to achieve 3 complete specimens from the olives. Patients rated each biopsy technique. Results were stratified by level of experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time to obtain 3 complete biopsy specimens was significantly faster for FUT compared with the standard technique (140 seconds vs 246 seconds, P = .0001). The mean number of attempts needed to obtain 3 specimens was significantly less with FUT compared with the standard technique (4.3 vs 5.6 attempts, P = .0007). Patients reported that FUT was significantly easier to use compared with the standard technique (P = .0005). No significant order effect was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this in vitro comparison, FUT increased the efficiency and efficacy of PB for users of all experience levels. FUT may allow urologists with limited PB experience to perform the procedure reliably and easily. Clinical evaluation of this technology is actively in progress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ashleigh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menhadji
authors.forename: Vien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Ringo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Kathyrn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osann
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bucur
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lusch
authors.forename: Elspeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D005780:Gelatin; D006801:Humans; D061705:Image-Guided Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D031658:Olea; D061646:Operative Time; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin