Standard pleural biopsy versus CT-guided cutting-needle biopsy for diagnosis of malignant disease in pleural effusions: a randomised controlled trial.

Journal article

BACKGROUND: Over 200000 pleural effusions are attributable to cancer in the UK and USA every year. Cytological examination of pleural fluid classifies about 60% of malignant effusions. Pleural biopsy needs to be done in the remaining cases. We aimed to assess whether CT-guided biopsy is an improvement over standard pleural biopsy in this setting. METHODS: 50 consecutive patients with cytologically negative suspected malignant pleural effusions were recruited. All had a contrast-enhanced thora...

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Authors: Maskell, N; Gleeson, F; Davies, R

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Lancet
• Volume: 361
• Issue: 9366
• Pages: 1326-1330
• Publication date: 2003-04-01
• DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(03)13079-6
• EISSN: 1474-547X
• ISSN: 0140-6736
• Language: English
• Keywords: Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Humans; Carcinoma; Adenocarcinoma; Sensitivity and Specificity; Biopsy, Needle; Aged; Female; Male; Aged, 80 and over; Diagnosis, Differential; Pleural Neoplasms; Prospective Studies; England; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Surgery, Computer-Assisted; Middle Aged; Mesothelioma