CT-GUIDED PLEURAL NEEDLE-BIOPSY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA

Objective: Our goal was to determine the sensitivity of CT-guided clos ed pleural needle biopsy (CPNB) for the histopathologic diagnosis of d iffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma (DMPM). Materials and Methods: T hirty patients with DMPM were studied with CT-guided CPNB. Tumor speci mens were classified according to their cell types. Results: In 25 (83 .3%) patients, the diagnosis was made by CT-guided CPNB. The remaining five patients were diagnosed by thoracoscopy, thoracotomy, or excisio nal biopsy of the chest wall mass. Pneumothorax was observed in 9.5% o f patients and local seeding of tumor in 21.7% of patients who underwe nt CPNB. Conclusion: Properly performed CPNB under CT guidance may yie ld an increased sensitivity for the diagnosis of diffuse malignant ple ural mesothelioma.