Single plane fluoroscopic guided biopsy of thoracic lesions

Single plane fluoroscopic guided biopsy was performed successfully in 61 of 70 patients with thoracic lesions using inexpensive spinal needles. Lesions smaller than 2 cm and those located within 2 cm distance from vascular structures were not biopsied using this technique. Post-biopsy pneumothorax developed in 15 of the 46 biopsies of the intrapulmonary lesions. Five patients required a chest tube placement for symptomatic pneumothoraces. There were no fatalities. It is suggested that in a selected group of patients single plane fluoroscopic guided biopsy is a safe and fast method for diagnosis of a thoracic lesion.