IMAGING GUIDED PERCUTANEAL CORE BIOPSY OF PULMONARY AND PLEURAL MASSES - TECHNIQUE AND COMPLICATIONS.

Paper presents the ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) guided percutaneous lung core biopsy technique and procedure associated complications. 148 percutaneous biopsies of lung and peural lesions were performed in 143 patients ( in 5 (3.4%) cases the repeated procedure was needed). Procedure was guided by US in 42 cases, by CT - in 106 cases. Post-biopsy CT scan was performed and patients observed for any complications. No complications were detected after US guided procedures; No major complications were detected after CT guided biopsy procedures; minor complications (pneumothorax, hemothorax and hemophtysis) were detected in 24 (22.6%) cases. In 18 (17.0%) cases pneumothorax, in 1 (0/9%) cases - hemothorax and in 5 (4.7%) cases hemophtisis was detected on CT guided procedures. All hemothorax and hemophtisis and 13(12.3%) pneumothorax cases happened to be self-limited; in 3(2.8%) pneumothorax cases aspiration and in 2(1.9%) cases - pleural drainage was needed. Ultrasound is the most efficient for biopsy guidance if the "target" can be adequately imaged by this technique. If US guidance is impossible biopsy should be performed under CT guidance. Pneumothorax and hemothoraxs was associated with multiple needle passes, lesion diameter <2 cm and larger diameter needle use. Hemoptysis was not associated with multiple needle passes, lesioan size and larger diameter needle. No air embolism was detected on our study. The safety and biopsy procedure success high rate proves the use of imaging guided percutaneal core biopsy of pulmonary and pleural masses as a first choice procedure when the lung or pleural mass morphology is needed.