RESUMO
PURPOSE: To demonstrate that CT-guided chest biopsy can effectively prevent surgery for patients with benign tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present a cohort of patients who underwent CT-guided biopsy for a chest lesion where diagnosis could not be achieved through other means. The gold standard was defined, based on availability, by surgery or imaging and clinical follow-up over a 2-year period. RESULTS: From a total of 114 biopsied lesions, 101 were malignant and 13 were benign. Sensitivity and specificity values for benign lesions were 92.1 and 92.3% respectively with PPV and NPV of 60 and 98.9%. Sensitivity and specificity values for malignant lesions were 86.1 and 100% respectively with PPV and NPV of 100 and 48%. No statistically significant correlation could be established between the groups with concordant and discordant results. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of specific benign lesion on CT-guided biopsy, all sizes and sites included, may effectively prevent unnecessary surgery.