Diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided core biopsy of ground-glass opacity pulmonary lesions

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the accuracy of CT-guided percutaneous core biopsy of ground-glass opacity (GGO) pulmonary lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study included 50 patients (24 men, 26 women; age range, 43-78 years) who had a GGO pulmonary lesion and underwent CT-guided core biopsy. Diagnostic accuracy was compared between two groups according to lesion size (< 2 cm vs >= 2 cm) and GGO component (> 90% vs 50-90%). Each case was reviewed for complications, including pneumothorax, thoracostomy tube insertion, and hemoptysis. RESULTS. Malignancy was finally diagnosed in 33 patients, including three who underwent repeated biopsies, with 33 true-positive and three false-negative findings for an overall sensitivity of 92% (33/36). A benign lesion was finally diagnosed in 10 patients with one false-positive result, for a specificity of 90%. Two benign lesions without confirmative diagnosis because of loss of follow-up and five nondiagnostic samples were excluded from the calculations of sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 91%, with a positive predictive value of 97% and a negative predictive value of 75%. Sensitivity and accuracy were not significantly different between the two groups of lesion size and GGO components (p = 0.0491). Ten (18%) patients had pneumothorax, with one (2%) requiring placement of a thoracostomy tube. Mild hemoptysis occurred in seven (13%) patients. CONCLUSION. CT-guided core biopsy of GGO lesions can yield high diagnostic accuracy and acceptable complication rates approaching those of solid lesions.