Transthoracic CT-guided biopsy with multiplanar reconstruction image improves diagnostic accuracy of solitary pulmonary nodules

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) image for CT-guided biopsy and determine factors of influencing diagnostic accuracy and the pneumothorax rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 390 patients with 396 pulmonary nodules underwent transthoracic CT-guided aspiration biopsy (TNAB) and transthoracic CT-guided cutting needle core biopsy (TCNB) as follows: 250 solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) underwent conventional CT-guided biopsy (conventional method), 81 underwent CT-fluoroscopic biopsy (CT-fluoroscopic method) and 65 underwent conventional CT-guided biopsy in combination with MPR image (MPR method). Success rate, overall diagnostic accuracy, pneumothorax rate and total procedure time were compared in each method. Factors affecting diagnostic accuracy and pneumothorax rate of CT-guided biopsy were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: Success rates (TNAB: 100.0%, TCNB: 100.0%) and overall diagnostic accuracies (TNAB: 96.9%, TCNB: 97.0%) of MPR were significantly higher than those using the conventional method (TNAB: 87.6 and 82.4%, TCNB: 86.3 and 81.3%) (P < 0.05). Diagnostic accuracy were influenced by biopsy method, lesion size, and needle path length (P < 0.05). Pneumothorax rate was influenced by pathological diagnostic method, lesion size, number of punctures and FEV1.0% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of MPR for CT-guided lung biopsy is useful for improving diagnostic accuracy with no significant increase in pneumothorax rate or total procedure time.