Comparison of CT-guided and stereotaxic cranial diagnostic needle biopsies.

Needle biopsy of the brain utilizing computerized tomography (CT) scan data is an accepted diagnostic technique that has been performed both with and without the aid of stereotaxic frames. Experience with both techniques has resulted in a specific procedure for CT-guided free-hand biopsy which is performed in the CT suite under local anesthesia. Over the last 6 years the authors have performed 64 CT-guided free-hand biopsies and 13 stereotaxic biopsies with the Brown-Roberts-Wells system. Nonspecific gliosis, tumor, infection, radiation necrosis, or vascular malformation, were diagnosed in all but one biopsy, for a clinically accurate diagnostic yield of 92%. A comparison of diagnostic yield, morbidity, and mortality has shown no significant difference between the free-hand and the stereotaxic techniques. The time required for the procedures and their cost have been compared and have been found to be significantly less for the free-hand biopsy group. Thus, CT-guided free-hand biopsy may still represent the method of choice for histological diagnosis of many intracranial lesions.