Chest Imaging

Cutting needle biopsy

procedure that is performed to obtain a histological diagnosis of a pleural, pulmonary or mediastinal mass. Automated 18 20 G needles are used under CT guidance. Ultrasound guidance may be used for focal masses in the outer portion of the lung. It is particularly useful if a benign diagnosis is suspected when the likelihood of obtaining a specific diagnosis is significantly increased compared with fine needle aspiration biopsy. The diagnostic yield for malignancy is not significantly different whether cutting biopsy or fine needle biopsy is performed. In the pleura, cutting needle biopsy is the preferred biopsy method both for focal pleural masses and for diffuse pleural thickening (see percutaneous biopsy thoracic). In the mediastinum, cutting needle biopsy is used as an alternative to surgical biopsy (see percutaneous biopsy thoracic).

CF - HM