CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy for solitary pulmonary lesions smaller than 3cm in diameter

Objective:To evaluate the value of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of solitary lesions (D3cm) in lung.Methods:68 patients( between march 1993 and January 2002) with solitary pulmonary lesions which were performed by CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy were reviewed.All of the pulmonary lesions were confirmed by surgery and clinical course.Aspirating needles had been used to make polytopical aspirations from the best-chosen level and site.Results:In the 68 cases,a total of 84 biopsies were done.Cytologic studies were made in all of the cases,and histologic studies in 59 cases.The diagnostic accuracy was 66.2% for cytologic specimens (45/68), 81.4% for histologic specimens (48/59), with a total accuracy of 89.7%.The positive and negative prediction value were 100% (51/51) and 58.8% (10/17),respectively.The incidence of pneumothorax,bleeding and hemoptysis were 19.8%, 8.2% and 6.6%, respectively.Conclusion:CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of solitary pulmonary lesions is a successful efficient and safty diagnostic method with few complications.It is very helpful in diagnosing solitary pulmonary lesions.