Sampling of suspicious solitary pulmonary nodules: Percutaneous needle biopsy and pre-operative localization

Indeterminate pulmonary nodules detected with low-dose CT (LDCT) during lung cancer screening (LCS) may be referred for a tissue diagnosis. While bronchoscopy is the initial investigation of choice for the evaluation of airspace opacities and hilar masses, screen-detected nodules are more likely small and peripheral and therefore less accessible by bronchoscopy.1 Radiologists with experience in thoracic intervention have an important role in the workup of suspicious screen-detected nodules.2,3 This includes image-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) for low to moderate risk nodules and pre-operative image-guided placement of localization markers to guide surgical resection of highly suspicious nodules.
Source: Seminars in Roentgenology - Category: Radiology Authors: Source Type: research