[Value of CT guided renal biopsies: retrospective review of 67 cases]

To assess the value of the CT guided percutaneous biopsy of renal tumors and to promote the interest of this procedure.

We report a retrospective study of 67 patients (average age, 51 years) who underwent CT guided biopsy of a single renal mass. The average size of tumors was 5 centimeters. The biopsy of tumors was carried out with needles between 16 and 21 gauge by using a conventional CT. Two to three passes per tumor were obtained.

Biopsy material was sufficient for diagnosis in 48 cases (72%). A renal cell carcinoma was found in 29 (43%) samples of biopsy. The remainder included 13 metastases or lymphomas (18%). A benign lesion was found in 6 cases (9%). 59 patients had a final diagnosis. Accuracy of the biopsy for histopathologic evaluation was 81%. The average lesion size of failed biopsies was 1.5 centimeters. Morbidity occurred in 13% of cases, without immediate life threatening consequence.

CT-guided renal biopsy is an effective means of obtaining tissue for the diagnosis of focal renal masses. The indications are renal lesions locally advanced, multimetastatic patients, mass in patients with a single kidney and focal lesions in patients with prior history of malignancy.