Calogero Porrello1, Roberto Gullo, Carola Maria Gagliardo2, Antonino Vaglica1, Manuela Palazzolo1, Filippo Giangregorio1, Dario Iadicola2, Andrea Catanzaro3, Gregorio Scerrino4, Felice Lo Faso5, Francesco Carini6, Giovanni Tomasello6. 1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Paolo Giaccone di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 2. Department of Surgical, Oncological & Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 3. Department DIID (Department of Industrial and Digital Innovation) of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 4. Department of General & Emergency Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Paolo Giaccone di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 5. UOS Chirurgia Toracica Generale e Mininvasiva, Azienda Ospedaliera Marche Nord, Italy. 6. Department of Experimental Biomedicine & Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Anatomy, (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Abstract
Aim: The present study aimed to demonstrate that computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) is a safe procedure that gives a more accurate pre-operative tissue diagnosis for peripheral lung nodules than transthoracic needle aspiration, obtaining suitable samples for molecular test in lung adenocarcinomas. Patients & methods: Between December 2016 and March 2018 at Thoracic Surgery Department of the University of Palermo - Policlinico Paolo Giaccone hospital, TTNB was performed in 42 patients with computed tomography-detected peripheral lung nodules >10 mm, using 16-18-Gauge Tru-Cut needles. Results: With TTNB, we have estimated an accuracy for tissue diagnosis of 97.6%. At the molecular test, EGFR overexpression and ALK mutation resulted positive for 12/23 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Conclusion: TTNB has showed a low rate of complications and it is adoptable as standard diagnostic procedure for peripheral lung nodules.
Aim: The present study aimed to demonstrate that computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) is a safe procedure that gives a more accurate pre-operative tissue diagnosis for peripheral lung nodules than transthoracic needle aspiration, obtaining suitable samples for molecular test in lung adenocarcinomas. Patients & methods: Between December 2016 and March 2018 at Thoracic Surgery Department of the University of Palermo - Policlinico Paolo Giaccone hospital, TTNB was performed in 42 patients with computed tomography-detected peripheral lung nodules >10 mm, using 16-18-Gauge Tru-Cut needles. Results: With TTNB, we have estimated an accuracy for tissue diagnosis of 97.6%. At the molecular test, EGFR overexpression and ALK mutation resulted positive for 12/23 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Conclusion:TTNB has showed a low rate of complications and it is adoptable as standard diagnostic procedure for peripheral lung nodules.