Office-Based Percutaneous Renal Biopsy

Renal biopsy is an essential tool that is underutilized in the management of T1a small renal masses. Image-guided biopsy has the potential to establish a diagnosis, assess severity, and determine prognosis for patients with a renal mass that would otherwise be subjected to surgical intervention. Ultrasound technology is familiar to urologists, as it is widely applied to prostate biopsy. In a select group of patients, office-based ultrasound-guided renal mass biopsy has shown to be a safe and cost-effective alternative to hospital-based procedures. In this chapter, we will discuss patient selection, biopsy technique, complications, and outcomes of percutaneous office-based renal biopsy.