Value of CT-guided core-needle biopsy in diagnosis and classification of malignant lymphomas using automated biopsy gun

AIM： To evaluate the value of CT-guided core-needle biopsy in diagnosis and classification of malignant lymphomas. METHODS： From January 1999 to October 2004, CT-guided core-needle biopsies were performed in 80 patients with suspected malignant lymphoma. Biopsies were performed with an 18-20 G biopsy-cut （CR Bard, Inc., Covington, GA, USA） needle driven by a spring-loaded Bard biopsy gun. RESULTS： A definite diagnosis and accurate histological subtype were obtained in 61 patients with a success rate of 76.25% （61/80）. Surgical sampling was performed in 19 patients （23.75%） with non-diagnostic core-needle biopsies. The success rate of CT-guided core-needle biopsy varied with the histopathologic subtypes in our group. The relatively high success rates of core-needle biopsy were noted in diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin＇s lymphoma （NHL, 88.89%） and peripheral T-cell NHL （90%）. However, the success rates were relatively low in anaplastic large cell （T/null cell） lymphoma （ALCL, 44.44%） and Hodgkin＇s disease （HD, 28.57%） in our group. CONCLUSION： CT-guided core-needle biopsy is a reliable means of diagnosing and classifying malignant lymphomas, and can be widely applied in the management of patients with suspected malignant lymphoma.