Determining malignancy in CT guided fine needle aspirate biopsy of subsolid lung nodules: Is core biopsy necessary?

To assess the success of determining malignancy in subsolid lung nodules by fine needle aspirate of CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy.

This IRB approved retrospective study analyzed CTguided transthoracic needle biopsy of 86 consecutive subsolid nodules (size 25 + 14 mm; Age 71 + 10 years: M: F, 27:59), with ground glass opacity of = 50% in 64 (74%) and size < 2 cm in 38 (44%). Fine needle aspirate was performed in all and additional core biopsy in 21 (24%). The biopsy results were correlated with resected surgical pathology in 59 (69%) and by long term clinical and imaging follow-up in 27 (31%). The statistical analysis was performed by Fischer exact test to determine the success rate in < 2cm and =2cm nodules and those with <50% and =50% ground glass opacity.

The technical success of performing the biopsy was 94.7%. The sensitivity for making a diagnosis of malignancy in small and large subsolid nodules was 88.6 and 95.6% (p=>0.05), with a specificity 100% in both groups. Core biopsy altered the diagnosis only in 1/21 (4.8%). The nondiagnostic biopsy rate was 18 and 11% for lesions with =50% and <50% ground glass opacity (p=>0.05). The incidence of pneumothorax was 21%, none requiring chest tube, and mild hemoptysis in 8%.

CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of both small and large subsolid nodules is highly sensitive and very specific for making the diagnosis of malignancy with a low rate of complications. Additional core biopsy offered no significant advantage over fine needle aspirate biopsy alone.