[Transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy. The diagnostic accuracy of pulmonary lesions]

We performed 91 transthoracic functions, under fluoroscopy, sonographically or by computed tomography control, at Clinic Hospital in Valencia. The procedures was performed with Chiba needle 22 gauges while the cytopathologist was present. Maximum number of needle passes was four. Malignant diagnosis has been obtained in 64.8% of cases, in 12 patients a benign diagnosis was obtained and confirmed, 13 cases were false negative and the specimen was insufficient for diagnosis in 7 (5 of them lesions had a diameter less than 2 cm). The study showed 82% for sensitivity, 100% for specificity and 85% for accuracy. The punction was guided by fluoroscopy in 49 patients, by sonography in 6 and by computed tomography control in 36. The accuracy diagnosis for fluoroscopy guidance was 96%. The complications were 9 (9.9%): Two patients presented minor hemoptysis resolved spontaneously, 6 patients showed minor pneumothorax and one patient was treated a cause of a large pneumothorax. We concluded that transthoracic biopsy is a simple and save technique that can provide a high diagnosis accuracy in patients with pulmonary pathology.