Transcatheter bronchial brush and forceps biopsies. Histologic evaluation

Area of Science:

• Medical diagnostics
• Pathology
• Interventional radiology

Background:

• Transcatheter biopsies are increasingly used for tissue sampling.
• Evaluating diagnostic accuracy of different biopsy methods is crucial for patient care.
• Histologic and cytologic analyses offer complementary diagnostic information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transcatheter brush and forceps biopsies.
• To compare the accuracy of histologic versus cytologic findings.
• To determine the combined accuracy of both methods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 472 transcatheter biopsies over six years.
• Histologic examination of tissue samples.
• Cytologic examination of collected cells.
• Fluoroscopic guidance for biopsy procedures.

Main Results:

• Histologic findings alone yielded 38% diagnostic accuracy.
• Cytologic findings alone yielded 70% diagnostic accuracy.
• Combined histologic and cytologic examination improved accuracy to 76%.

Conclusions:

• Combining histologic and cytologic analysis of transcatheter biopsies significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy.
• Histologic examination is indispensable for diagnosing Hodgkin's disease and certain inflammatory conditions.
• Transcatheter biopsies under fluoroscopic guidance are valuable for peripheral lesions, and utilizing both biopsy types is recommended.