The Increasing Role For Core Needle Biopsy Of Pulmonary Lesions In Immunocompromised Patients

Image-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung is a well-established method for the histological diagnosis of pulmonary lesions. The purpose of this review is to describe the different technical modalities including the biopsy procedures and sample conditioning methods. The main complications and the influence of various variables on the complication rate are discussed. The accuracy and sensitivity of this diagnostic method are reported with emphasis on patients with suspected malignancy and/or infection. These data are useful for predicting the risk of complications before the procedure and, therefore, for helping to select those patients most likely to benefit.