Percutaneous core needle biopsy in the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

to determine the contribution of percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy (PCNB) in the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors.

DESIGN:

retrospective review of 70 patients with mediastinal lesions who underwent CT-guided PCNB between 1988 and 1996.

RESULTS:

PCNB provided adequate material in 62/70 cases, giving a total sample rate of 88.6%. Of these 62 patients, 57 were diagnosed correctly by PCNB whereas 5/62 were misdiagnosed as nonspecific inflammation, providing an overall sensitivity of 91.9%. PCNB established a specific histologic diagnosis in 90.3% of the patients, mainly in cases of lymphoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, and thymoma. Pneumothorax was the most commonly encountered complication (11%). Hemoptysis (30-50 ml) occurred in only one (1.6%) of the patients.

CONCLUSION:

CT guided PCNB is an easy and safe procedure which can provide a precise diagnosis in the majority of mediastinal tumors and can obviate the need for exploratory thoracic surgery in cases which are medically treatable or non-resectable.

• Authors: J Greif, A N Staroselsky, M Gernjac, Y Schwarz, S Marmur, M Perlsman, A Yellin
• Journal: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) (Lung Cancer) Vol. 25 Issue 3 Pg. 169-73 (Sep 1999) ISSN: 0169-5002 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 10512127 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biopsy, Needle (methods)
• Carcinoma, Bronchogenic (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Germinoma (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Lymphoma (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Male
• Mediastinal Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Middle Aged
• Retrospective Studies
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Teratoma (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Thymoma (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Thymus Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed