Pulmonary core biopsy by percutaneous needle aspiration

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• Percutaneous aspiration needle biopsy (PANB) for pulmonary lesions has a long history but is gaining recent popularity.
• This retrospective study evaluates the simplicity, safety, and accuracy of PANB in a community hospital setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the diagnostic yield and complication rates of PANB for central and peripheral pulmonary lesions.
• To determine the influence of lesion size and type (neoplastic vs. nonneoplastic, malignant vs. benign) on diagnostic accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 181 percutaneous aspiration needle biopsies performed by a radiologist.
• Evaluation of diagnostic yield based on lesion characteristics and comparison of cytologic examination with cell block histologic sections.

Main Results:

• Overall diagnostic yield was 87.5% for neoplastic and 68.4% for nonneoplastic lesions.
• Diagnostic yield was higher for malignant (91%) than benign (58.3%) neoplasms.
• Success rate increased with lesion size (95.6% for lesions >3 cm).
• Low complication rate (14.9%) with no deaths; no difference in complications based on lesion location or size.
• Cell block histology provided diagnostic accuracy comparable to cytology, with no false-positive cytologic diagnoses.

Conclusions:

• Percutaneous aspiration needle biopsy is a simple, safe, and accurate procedure for diagnosing pulmonary lesions.
• The technique is effective for both central and peripheral lesions, with higher yields for neoplastic and malignant cases.
• Lesion size is a significant factor in diagnostic success, and cell block histology offers reliable diagnostic information.