Diagnostics of malignant lymphomas with ultrasound guided 1.2 mm biopsy-gun

In a retrospective analysis of 129 ultrasound-guided biopsy-gun biopsies (USGB) from patients with known or suspected malignant lymphoma, a histopathological diagnosis was obtained in 101 (78%) instances and no further procedures for histological verification were required. In the 28 cases with initially non-diagnostic results, 14 new USGBs were performed and a diagnosis was obtained in 11. Thus, a total success rate of 87% was achieved. The correct diagnosis was confirmed with either surgery, autopsy, or radiological or clinical follow-up (median 40 months). The diagnoses were categorised as Hodgkin's disease and high-grade or low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Further subtyping of the lymphoma was possible in a few cases only. Immunohistochemistry was utilised only in a minor proportion of the cases (25/129), but refined the diagnosis in several instances. The biopsy-gun method was safe and minor adverse effects were seen in two patients only.