Diagnostic performance of percutaneous lung biopsy using automated biopsy needles under CT-fluoroscopic guidance for ground-glass opacity lesions

Abstract

The goal of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of percutaneous lung biopsy under CT-fluoroscopic guidance for ground-glass opacity (GGO) lesions. 85 percutaneous needle lung biopsies were performed in 73 patients. Specimens were obtained by core biopsy utilising an automated cutting needle and were evaluated histologically. Final diagnosis was confirmed by independent surgical pathology, independent culture results or clinical follow-up. Rates of adequate specimens obtained and of precise diagnosis by needle biopsy were 92.9% (79/85) and 90.6% (77/85) of evaluated lung lesions, respectively. Precise diagnosis was achieved in 87.1% (27/31) of lesions ≤10 mm in diameter, 90.0% (36/40) of lesions >10 mm to ≤20 mm and 100.0% (14/14) of lesions >20 mm. Precision in diagnosing GGO lesions according to the GGO component was 73.9% (17/23) for pure GGO lesions and 96.8% (60/62) for part-solid GGO lesions. Obtaining a precise diagnosis did not differ significantly according to the lesion size (p=0.3840), but differences were significant according to the GGO component (p=0.0047). Malignancy was accurately diagnosed in 35 of 36 malignant lesions for which surgery was later performed. The specific cell type determined from specimens obtained by needle biopsy was exactly the same as the final histological diagnosis obtained after surgery in 20 lesions. Tissue-core lung biopsy under CT-fluoroscopic guidance for a GGO lesion provides a high degree of diagnostic accuracy but is less reliable for determining the specific cell type. Percutaneous lung biopsy under CT-fluoroscopic guidance for GGO is useful in differentiating malignancy.