Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy in AIDS: Analysis in 32 patients

PURPOSE: A retrospective study was performed to determine the success of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) as an aid in diagnosing focal chest and mediastinal disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group was composed of 32 patients seropositive for HIV; 31 of these patients had known AIDS. The subjects underwent chest radiography, computed tomography, and TNB. RESULTS: In 27 of the 32 patients a specific diagnosis was enabled by TNB. Bronchogenic carcinoma was diagnosed most frequently, although infectious agents were isolated in most patients. CONCLUSION: TNB is a safe and effective procedure for evaluation of focal thoracic disease in this patient population and provides information that is often unavailable from alternative diagnostic procedures.