Cancer Management and Research (Feb 2020)
Full-Core Biopsy Systems Take Larger Liver Tissue Samples with Lower Fragmentation Rates Than Conventional Side-Notch Systems: A Randomized Trial
Abstract
Jan Schaible,1,* Kirsten Utpatel,2,* Niklas Verloh,1 Ingo Einspieler,1 Benedikt Pregler,1 Florian Zeman,3 Philipp Wiggermann,4 Andreas G Schreyer,5 Christian Stroszczynski,1 Lukas P Beyer6 1Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; 2Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; 3Center for Clinical Studies, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; 4Department of Radiology, Municipal Hospital Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany; 5Department of Radiology, Brandenburg University Hospital, Brandenburg Medical School, Brandenburg, Germany; 6Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinic Ernst von Bergmann, Potsdam, Germany*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lukas P BeyerDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinic Ernst von Bergmann, Potsdam 14467, GermanyTel +49 331 2413 6702Email [email protected]: The aim of this study was to compare the histopathological quality and physical features of the specimen of a full-core end-cut biopsy system with that of the standard side-notch system for liver biopsies.Methods: A full-core end-cut 16G biopsy device and a standard side-notch 16G needle were used to take biopsies of unclear liver lesions. Patients were randomized in two groups of 16 patients each. The primary endpoint of this prospective study was the core length measured using a dedicated microscope imaging software. Secondary endpoints were the quality of the specimen rated by an independent pathologist unaware of the device (scale from 1 to 5; with 1 as best and 5 as worst), the core diameter (determined by the microscopic imaging software) and presence of fragmentation (evaluated by the pathologist).Results: For the full-core (FC) and side-notch (SN) groups, the mean core length was similar with 13,599 μm and 11,570 μm (p=0.131), respectively. The quality of the specimen was significantly better in the FC-group with an average rating of 1.68 vs 2.50 (p=0.009). The fragmentation rate in the FC-group was statistically significantly lower at 2/27 (7%) than in the SN-group at 13/33 (39%) (p=0.021). The diameter in the FC-group was 1042 μm vs 930 μm in SN-group (p=0.018).Keywords: liver biopsy, full-core, side-notch, liver tumor, biopsy system
