FDG PET/CT Performed Prior to CT-Guided Percutaneous Biopsy of Lung Masses is Associated With an Increased Diagnostic Rate and Often Identifies Alternate Safer Sites to Biopsy.

Purpose: To determine the benefit of a FDG PET/CT scan prior to CT-guided lung biopsy on the rate of diagnosis, rate of complication, and the identification of potentially safer biopsy sites. Methods: This retrospective observational cross-sectional study evaluated consecutive adult patients who underwent CT-guided lung biopsy in 2020 or 2021 at 2 Canadian tertiary care hospitals. These patients were grouped into those that had PET/CT performed within 8 weeks prior to biopsy, within 8 weeks after biopsy, or no PET/CT scan within this time frame. Biopsy complication rates and pathology diagnostic rates were compared. The PET/CT images of those performed after biopsy were reviewed to determine if alternate safer biopsy sites could be identified. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson chi square test (P < .05 significant). Results: 547 patients who had CT-guided lung biopsy were included. Patients with lung masses (≥3 cm) who had a PET/CT scan prior to biopsy had a higher diagnostic rate (90.8%) compared to those that did not (80.2%). The overall post-biopsy pneumothorax rate was 43.3% with 11.3% overall requiring chest tube insertion and 13.9% requiring hospitalization. There was no difference in complication rate for those who had PET/CT prior to biopsy and those that did not. 28.9% to 42.1% of patients who had PET/CT after biopsy had safer sites amenable to biopsy identified retrospectively outside of the lungs. Conclusion: PET/CT prior to CT-guided lung biopsy improves the diagnostic rate in 10.6% of patients with lung masses (≥3 cm) and identifies alternate safer sites to biopsy in 28.9% to 42.1% of patients (any size lesion).