[Non-vascular interventional radiology: percutaneous needle biopsy under imaging]

Recent advances in diagnostic imaging increase the opportunity to detect small lesions. Percutaneous needle biopsy (PNB) under imaging is a part of interventional radiology and very useful to diagnose such small lesions. PNB of lung tumors is performed by 21G-screw needle under CT imaging of fluoroscopy. In 78 cases, accuracy was about 80% and no major complications were observed except one (bleeding). PNB of the liver can be performed by 15-17G cutting type needle. Bleeding is easily avoided by using the trans-normal liver tissue route. PNB of the pancreas and percutaneous pancreatic ductography also can be done using trans-hepatic or trans-gastric route under US imaging without major complications. PNB by 21G needle can obtain a block material for pathological diagnosis. There is much gas in the intrapelvic space, so PNB to this area is usually performed under CT imaging. Image-guiding PNB to subcutaneous organs like thyroid gland and breast is more useful than so-called blind biopsy because of its exactitude. Calcified non-palpable breast cancer is demonstrated by only this method. Image-guiding PNB is non-invasive, exact and a safe method to diagnose small lesions, and the popularization of the method is required.