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Experience of CT Guided Procedures in the Diagnosis of 55 patients with Intrathoracic Lesions from May 2009 to Feb 2011 at Ribat University Hospital(Sudan)
Abstract
Methods: the study included 55 patients who underwent CT-guided procedures between May 2009 and February 2011. All fine needle aspirations were performed with 20-gauge needles while core
tissue biopsies were performed with 14 –gauge needles under CT guidance. The diagnostic yield of these procedures, complications, and patient’s feedback were studied.
Results: Diagnosis was malignant lesions in 18(32.1%), benign in 35(62.5%), and in 2(0.036%) patients the sample was inadequate. So the diagnostic yield of CT guided procedures was 96.36%. 16 (89%) of the malignant sample were non-small cell lung cancer and 2(11%) were small cell lung cancer. The results of both procedures (fine needle aspirations and core tissue biopsies) done on the same lesion were similar in (93.7%) of the results. Patients who underwent other procedures before this (e.g. bronchoscopy) had similar results in 25% of the samples. Complications reported were hemoptysis in 5 (9.1%), pneumothorax in 2 (3.6%) and surgical emphysema in 1 (1.8%) patient. 5 (9.2%) of the patients described the pain of the procedure as intolerable.
Conclusions: CT guided procedure has high diagnostic yield and is recommended for obtaining tissues for histological assessment. Tissue biopsy offers no substantial advantage over FNA in the evaluation of malignant lung lesions.