Efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy in the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma at first presentation

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the accuracy and reliability of CT-guided percutaneous biopsy as an alternative to surgical biopsy in a selected population of patients without superficial enlarged lymphnodes and a final diagnosis of malignant lymphoma at first presentation. Methods The results of 145 CT-guided needle biopsies in 137 patients with malignant lymphoma at its first presentation and without superficial enlarged lymphnodes were analyzed retrospectively. Biopsies were performed in 24 patients with Hodgkinʹs disease (HD) and 113 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Factors such as patientʹs sex, age, type of lymphoma and biopsy site were evaluated to detect factors that could influence the success rate of the procedure. Results Biopsy specimens were diagnostic in 101 of the 113 patients with NHL and in 18 of the 24 patients with HD. Repeating of a previously nondiagnostic biopsy was successful in 7 out of 13 patients with NHL. No positive results were obtained, repeating the inconclusive biopsy in six patients with HD. Conclusions Our results suggest that percutaneous CT-guided biopsy is a useful and reliable tool in the diagnosis and classification of malignant lymphomas in patients without superficial lymphadenopathy and can be considered as an alternative to surgical sampling. However, little advantages were obtained, repeating previously inconclusive biopsies: In these cases, surgical sampling is mandatory.