COMPARISON OF 3 METHODS TO OBTAIN PERCUTANEOUS NEEDLE CORE BIOPSIES OF A RENAL-ALLOGRAFT

During 280 renal transplant biopsy procedures, 440 biopsy cores were o btained using three techniques: blind vertical pass, ultrasonographic guidance and ultrasonographic guidance with immediate specimen examina tion by stereoscopic microscopy. The success rates per procedure in ob taining renal cortex by blind vertical pass, ultrasonographic guidance and ultrasonographic guidance with microscopy were 75, 91, and 100 pe r cent respectively. Ultrasonographic guidance improves the success ra te of percutaneous renal allograft biopsy. The additional use of immed iate examination by stereoscopic microscopy yields a 100 per cent succ ess rate for individual biopsy procedures.