CT-guided stereotactic biopsy of deep brain lesions: report of 310 cases.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of CT-guided stereotactic biopsy in making correct pathological diagnosis and choosing corresponding management of brain tumors.

METHODS

From 1991 to 1995, CT-guided stereotactic biopsy was performed in 310 patients with intracerebral lesions which were deep-seated or located in certain main functional areas. The patients were 198 men and 112 women. Their ages ranged from 4.5 to 70 years (average: 39.3 years). The lesions were located in the deep cerebrum (74 patients), the sellar area (62), the basal ganglion (51), the posterior part of the third ventricle (38), other intraventricleular area (21), the cerebellum (17) and the brain stem (9), and intracranial multiple lesions were found in 38 patients.

RESULTS

Brain tumors were diagnosed pathologically in 266 patients (85.8%); inflammatory process in 25 (8.1%), other lesions in 8 (2.6%) and uncertain cases were 11 (3.6%). The overall positive rate of biopsy was 96.4% and the positive rate for brain tumor was 85.8%. Intracranial hematomas after biopsy were found in 5 patients (1.6%). There were no deaths induced by the biopsy or other serious complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that CT-guided stereotactic biopsy is a reliable method for histopathological diagnosis of brain tumors and it is also of great help in selecting appropriate management.