Transthoracic biopsy with core cutting needle for the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors

objective: to determine the contribution of percutaneous biopsy with core cutting needle in the diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. method: retrospective review of 22 patients with mediastinal lesions who were submitted to percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy, oriented, but not guided by computer assisted tomography of the thorax, between 1999 and 2002. results: percutaneous biopsy with core cutting needle provided adequate material in 18/22 cases, with a total positive sample rate of 82%. in 4/22 cases, the material was insufficient to define the diagnosis (18%). percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy established a specific histologic diagnosis in 82% of the patients: 8/22 (36%) lymphoma; 5/22 (28%) thymoma; 2/22 (11%) thymic carcinoma; 1/22 (6%) metastatic adenocarcinoma; 1/22 (6%) neuroectodermic primitive tumor; and 1/22 (6%) plasmocytoma. all the patients were submitted to a thoracic x-ray after the biopsy. no complications were found in these patients. conclusion: percutaneous core cutting needle biopsy oriented, but not guided by computer assisted tomography of the thorax, is an easy and safe procedure which can provide a precise diagnosis in most mediastinal tumors, and can prevent the exploratory thoracic surgery in inoperable or chemotherapy-treated cases.