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Percutaneous Image-Guided Biopsy pp 167–174Cite as

Pleural Biopsy

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Abstract

Assessment of pleural effusion does not reveal the etiology of pleural disease in many patients. Furthermore, many patients with pleural disease do not have pleural effusion. Thus, pleural biopsy is an essential step in diagnosing both malignant and benign diseases of the pleura. For the most part, the “blind” pleural biopsy has been replaced by image-guided procedures. Both computed tomography and ultrasonography can be used to target suspicious nodules and patchy and diffuse areas of pleural thickening. Cutting-needle biopsy is superior to fine-needle aspiration biopsy, but the two techniques can be complementary and may provide a higher diagnostic yield when used together. Image-guided pleural biopsies rarely result in serious complications, and minor complications either are self-limiting or can be easily managed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Interventional Radiology, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1471, Houston, TX, USA

    Kamran Ahrar MD, FSIR

  2. Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Unit 360, Houston, TX, USA

    Sanaz Javadi MD

Authors
  1. Kamran Ahrar MD, FSIR
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  2. Sanaz Javadi MD
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Correspondence to Kamran Ahrar MD, FSIR .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Vascular & Interventional Radiol., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Kamran Ahrar

  2. Department of Diagnostic Radiology Section of Interventional Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Sanjay Gupta

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Ahrar, K., Javadi, S. (2014). Pleural Biopsy. In: Ahrar, K., Gupta, S. (eds) Percutaneous Image-Guided Biopsy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8217-8_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8217-8_12

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