Percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy. Fine needle biopsy, cutting needle biopsy, or both?

The results of 155 US-guided cutting needle biopsies, mainly of abdominal and transthoracic lesions, were reviewed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the method. A fine needle biopsy (FNB) was additionally performed in 99 of the patients. Sufficient material for histologic and cytologic analysis was obtained in 88% (137/155) and 98% (97/99), and a correct benign or malignant diagnosis was made in 87% and 88%, respectively. Among the 99 combined biopsies the corresponding figures were 100% and 97%, respectively. The proportions of inconclusive and false-negative results among histologic samples were 0% and 4% (2/57), in FNBs 7% (7/99) and 5% (3/56), and in combined examinations 3% (3/99) and 0%. One major complication, Streptococcus faecalis sepsis, occurred. The combined use of FNB and histologic biopsy increases the proportion of correct diagnoses about 10% without increasing the complications.