CT/fluoroscopy-guided transthoracic needle biopsy: sensitivity and complication rate in 98 procedures.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate CT/fluoroscopy (CTF)-guided core needle biopsies (CNBs) in the thorax.
Method: Ninety-eight biopsies were performed using a core biopsy needle (18G) with a reusable biopsy gun under CT/F. All results were compared to surgery plus histology or to clinical follow-up of >12 months. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated.
Results: For pulmonary biopsies, sensitivity was 94%, specificity 100%, and NPV 73%; no significant correlation between the pneumothorax rate and the intrathoracic penetration depth was found. For biopsies of the mediastinum and pleura, sensitivities were 87 and 80%, respectively; specificity was 100% in both locations. A pneumothorax occurred in 21%, a pneumothorax requiring drainage in 2.0%.
Conclusion: CT/F-guided CNB is a reliable method to obtain thoracic biopsies, with a complication rate of 2.0%.