Shear-wave elastography-guided transthoracic biopsy for lung lesions: a randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Medical Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• Transthoracic shear-wave elastography (SWE) aids in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions.
• This study validates SWE-guided transthoracic biopsy for subpleural lung lesion diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of SWE-guided transthoracic biopsy.
• To compare diagnostic yield, biopsy duration, and complication rates against conventional ultrasound-guided biopsy.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing SWE-guided and conventional ultrasound-guided transthoracic biopsy.
• Patients with suspicious peripheral lung lesions were randomized (1:1 ratio).
• Primary outcome was diagnostic yield; secondary outcomes included biopsy duration and complication incidence.

Main Results:

• The SWE group showed a significantly higher diagnostic yield (94.6%) versus the conventional group (88.3%).
• Biopsy duration was shorter in the SWE group (median 12 min) compared to the conventional group (median 13 min).
• The incidence of post-biopsy complications was similar between both groups (2.4% vs 2.9%).

Conclusions:

• SWE-guided transthoracic biopsy enhances diagnostic yield for subpleural lung lesions.
• This technique reduces procedure time without elevating complication risks.
• SWE offers a safe and effective alternative for diagnosing lung lesions.