Percutaneous core needle biopsy in the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy [PCNB] in the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. Thirty patients [25 men and 5 women] between the ages of 10-70 years underwent CT guided PCNB. The results showed that of these 30 patients, 27 were diagnosed correctly by PCNB; whereas, 3 were misdiagnosed as nonspecific inflammation providing an overall sensitivity of 90%. Most of the patients had various types of lymphomas including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. Nine patients had bronchogenic carcinoma. Two patients had metastatic carcinoma. Two patients had neurofibroma. Two patients had thymoma and one patient had plasma cell tumor. Pneumothorax was the most commonly encountered complication