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2000
Volume 21, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 1573-4056
  • E-ISSN: 1875-6603
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Abstract

Introduction

Unlike its well-established role in lung cancer staging, positron emission tomography /computed tomography (PET/CT)'s role in guiding lung biopsies remains unclear and underutilized, despite its potential to distinguish metabolically active regions from areas of necrosis or fibrosis within lesions.

Objective

This study aims to assess the diagnostic efficacy of PET/CT-aided conventional CT-guided lung biopsy by comparing the incidences of non-diagnostic results, false results, and complications.

Methods

Studies comparing PET/CT-aided and conventional CT-guided lung biopsy were identified through an intensive search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Data on nondiagnostic results, false results, and complications were extracted. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model.

Results

Seven studies involving 1,661 procedures were included. PET/CT-aided lung biopsy significantly reduced nondiagnostic results compared to conventional CT-guided biopsy (2.8% . 9.1%; pooled RR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.20–0.70, P = 0.002). False results were also significantly fewer in the PET/CT-aided group (6.5% . 17.0%; pooled RR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.35–0.65, P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in overall complication rates (28.1% . 32.5%; pooled RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.77–1.10, P = 0.352), while PET/CT-aided biopsy showed a slight tendency toward fewer major complications (0.9% . 1.7%; pooled RR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.30–1.44, P = 0.303).

Conclusion

PET/CT-aided CT-guided lung biopsy offers advantages over conventional CT-guided lung biopsy by significantly reducing nondiagnostic and false results, without significant differences in the risk of complications.

2025 © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Bentham Science Publisher.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Diagnostic Efficacy of PET/CT-Aided versus Conventional CT-guided Lung Biopsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Curr. Med. Imaging 21, E15734056394487 (2025); https://doi.org/10.2174/0115734056394487250702094607
/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056394487250702094607
/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056394487250702094607
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  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keyword(s): Biopsy; CT; Diagnostic Efficacy; Lung biopsy; Meta-analysis; PET/CT; Risk ratios

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