Introduction: Core needle biopsies of solid masses in children are a minimally invasive technique. It guides to a definitive diagnosis and facilitates management.
Aims and objectives: To determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of core needle biopsies in diagnosing pediatric solid masses.
Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 430 children, who underwent core needle biopsy for solid masses between January 2007 and December 2016 at CMC Vellore, was done.
Results: Retroperitoneal and intra-abdominal masses constituted 66% of cases. Real-time image guidance was used in 44% of cases. An accurate diagnosis was obtained in 93.6% of cases, while results did not correlate with the final diagnosis in 3.4%. Three percent had inadequate or necrotic tissue. None of the children had postprocedure complications.
Conclusion: Core needle biopsies serve as good diagnostic modality, with minimal risks, in making a conclusive diagnosis and deciding on the line of management.
Keywords: Core needle biopsy; image-guided biopsy; solid malignancies.
Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons.