Correlative study of preoperative transthoracic core cutting needle biopsyof focal thoracic lesions and thoracotomy findings

We conducted a retrospective study to determine the clinical utility of per cutaneous core needle biopsy (PCNBx) in 36 patients with peripheral focal c hest lesions who later underwent thoracic surgery for diagnostic or therape utic purposes. PCNBx provided adequate material in 31/36 cases, giving an o verall sample yield of 86.1%. PCNBx diagnosis was confirmed by surgery in 2 7/31 patients, giving a sensitivity of 91.6% and a specificity of 87.5%. In 4 patients, the lesions were misdiagnosed by PCNBx. In 5 patients with ben ign processes, surgical intervention could have been avoided, according to PCNBx results. The rate of PCNBx-induced pneumothorax was 11%. Radiological ly guided PCNBx is an easy and safe procedure that can provide important pr eoperative diagnostic information and can circumvent the need for explorato ry diagnostic surgery in cases of benign lesions. PCNBx also allows better preoperative planning in cases of malignancy.