PNEUMOTHORAX AFTER CT GUIDED TRANSTHORACIC NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY OF LUNG MASSES

The purpose of this study was to analyse the rate of pneumothorax after CT guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) of lung masses, using variable needle sizes. A total of 70 patients underwent this procedure, among them, 18 patients (26%) developed pneumothorax, with 18G needles 24 patients underwent FNA and seven of them (25%) developed pneumothorax, with 20G needle, 26% developed pneumothorax and with the 22G needle 25% developed Pneumothorax. As a conclusion the study shows that the rate of pneumothorax after CT guided TNAB of lung masses remains almost the same regardless of the size of the needle