Robotic Assistance in PET-CT-guided Lung Biopsies: Enhancing Accuracy and Clinical Outcomes

The purpose of this study was to compare ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) and CT performance in guiding percutaneous biopsies with histologic confirmation of lung lesions.

We prospectively evaluated 50 patients, of whom 25 underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT-guided biopsy and 25 underwent CT-guided biopsy. The pathology results, diagnostic performance, procedure duration, and complications in the two groups were evaluated.

Of the 25 biopsies with PET/CT guidance, histology demonstrated a mean diagnostic accuracy of 97.62%. In the CT-guided group, the mean diagnostic accuracy was 85%. The t-test revealed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.00001).

PET/CT-guided biopsy of lung lesions led to fewer inconclusive biopsies than CT-guided biopsy, with similar complication rates. This study highlights that PET-CT-guided lung biopsies, especially when robot-assisted, provide superior diagnostic accuracy. Moreover, PET-CT-guided biopsies exhibit a high sensitivity and low complication rates, making them a reliable and safe option for biopsy procedures. However, limitations related to study design, procedural learning curves, and radiation exposure should be carefully considered.