[Transparietal needle biopsy of pulmonary lesions with an image intensification system. Apropos of 82 biopsies]

We report the results of 82 needle biopsies of pulmonary nodules, using a fine screw needle. Owing to the very small diameter of the needle (0.8 mm), very few complications were observed (minor pneumothorax 13%, major pneumothorax 2.5%). The screw needle provided samples adequate for both cytological and histological examination. Forty-eight out of 53 cancers were diagnosed by this method (sensitivity 83%, specificity 100%).