Ultrasound-guided transthoracic biopsy of the peripheral lung tumors-why do we need it?

Abstract

Transthoracic lung biopsy is a relatively frequently performed procedure, under fluoroscopic or computer tomographic (CT), and most recently under ultrasound(US) guidance.Ultrasonographic(US) guidance in transthoracic lung biopsy (TLB) is harmless, cheap, and easy to use.

Aim: to evaluate the utility of US guided TLB in the histopathological diagnosis of lung peripheral masses, on the patients who underwent this investigation in the Department of Pneumology, Municipal Clinical Hospital Oradea, between Jan. 2015-Jan. 2016.

Materials and Method: Between Jan. 2015-Jan. 2016, 89 patients, with peripheral lung tumors, were hospitalized at the clinique. From the 89 patients, 59(66,29%) patients have a peripheral lung tumors that was approachable by chest ultrasound. We performed 59 transthoracic lung biopsies US guided,and no patient underwent CT guided biopsy. The biopsy was performed by using a 3.5-MHz sector transducer and 20-gauge biopsy gun.The patients were monitored immediately post procedure by Chest US at 3h, 8h and 24h.We analyzed age,gender,lesion size, location, presence of emphysema, the biopsy US guidance method, biopsy devices, histopathological results, complications.

Results: From 59 patients who underwent US-TBL, histopathological confirmation occur in 54 cases (91,52%).As complications, we had registered 4 pneumothorax(6,77%) and 1 case of subcutaneous haematoma(1,69%).

Conclusion: Transthoracic lung biopsy US guided had a specificity and senzitivity of 91,52%, while being a safe method, with a low complications rate of 8,47%.