Role of computed tomography fluoroscopy-guided cutting needle biopsy of lung lesions after transbronchial examination resulting in negative diagnosis

Abstract

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsy is occasionally used for the lesions that were diagnosed as nonmalignant by transbronchial examination despite the fact that other clinical data suggested those as malignant. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of CT fluoroscopy-guided cutting needle biopsy of lung lesions after transbronchial examination resulting in negative diagnosis.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of CT fluoroscopy-guided lung biopsy for 351 lesions (mean size, 2.8 cm) that were found to be nonmalignant by transbronchial examination. Diagnostic yield, including sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of malignancy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated. Various variables were analyzed to determine the factors for diagnostic failure.

Results: The biopsy result was nondiagnostic, true-positive, true-negative, false-positive, or false-negative for 2, 262, 70, 0, or 17 lesions, respectively. Thus, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of CT fluoroscopy-guided cutting needle biopsy was found to be 93% (262/281), 100% (70/70), 100% (262/262), 80% (70/87), and 94% (332/351), respectively. There was no significant risk factor for diagnostic failure.

Conclusion: Computed tomography fluoroscopy-guided cutting needle lung biopsy is a useful technique to correct or confirm negative diagnosis by transbronchial examination.