Ultrasound-guided core biopsy for tissue diagnosis in pediatric oncology: 16-year experience with 597 biopsies

OBJECTIVE. Percutaneous imaging-guided core needle biopsies (CNBs) for cancer diagnosis in pediatric patients are gaining interest because of their availability, lower rate of complications, and high diagnostic power compared with traditional surgical biopsies. Nevertheless, their precise role in the diagnostic algorithm of pediatric oncology is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to report our accumulated 16-year experience with CNB; discuss the availability, safety, and diagnostic accuracy of the procedure and the adequacy of ancillary testing; and compare our findings with the available literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Pediatric ultrasound-guided CNBs performed in our hospital between November 2003 and December 2019 were retrospectively studied. Data collection included demographics, clinical and procedural parameters, complications, and final diagnosis. RESULTS. A total of 597 biopsies were performed in 531 patients (132 performed in known oncologic patients and 465 performed to establish diagnosis). The median time between the biopsy request and the procedure was 1 day. Of 432 biopsies performed in patients with malignancies, 12 (2.8%) had false-negative results. In 165 cases of benign pathologic findings, all had true-negative results. Ancillary testing was adequate in all malignant cases. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates were 97.2%, 100%, and 98.0%, respectively. Five biopsies (0.8%) resulted in complications, including one major bleed and one track seeding. CONCLUSION. Our experience shows that ultrasound-guided CNB for suspected malignancy in pediatric patients has a high safety profile, availability, and accuracy rate compared with surgical biopsy. Our fast-track strategy enables early initiation of designated therapy and has the potential to become the procedure of choice.