Percutaneous needle aspiration lung biopsy

Percutaneous lung biopsy offers the following advantages: It spares the mortality, morbidity, invalidity, circumstances and cost of the only other definitive methods for reliable tissue diagnosis, namely, thoracotomy and, to a lesser degree, mediastinoscopy. It also shortens the time for diagnosis and adequate theraphy and lessens the time of anxiety for patient and relatives waiting for the diagnosis. Nevertheless, it is not a routine procedure that brings accolades to the radiologist. Indications, contraindications, and alternative diagnostic possibilities have to be weighed carefully in order to avoid inappropriate danger to the patient.