How to improve the accuracy of abdominal CT-guided biopsies?

Study aim: The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the various t echnical progresses made in the field of CT-guided abdominal biopsies. Rece nt improvements allowed to markedly increase the efficiency of biopsies and to decrease the number of complications. The main innovations concern the guidance technique itself with the availability of ultra-fast CT systems, t he development of automated biopsy systems, which allow to improve the size and quality of tissue samples and numerous technical tricks, allowing an e asier access to target lesions, either in patient positioning or in displac ement of anatomical structures. A better management of tissue samples favor ed by a close collaboration with pathologists is also mandatory. The last s ection of the paper is an overview of the rare complications of CT-guided b iopsies. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.