Background: Anterior mediastinal masses in children are clinically challenging, requiring prompt histological diagnosis.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to review the experience with US-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy (PCNB) of anterior mediastinal masses in children, particularly with respect to safety and diagnostic accuracy.
Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentation, imaging, sedation approach, procedural details and pathology results of US-guided PCNB of mediastinal masses that occurred during an 8-year period (2001-2008). Complications were graded and pathology was categorized into four groups based on adequacy and diagnostic yield.
Results: 32 US-guided PCNBs were performed on 32 children, mean age 12 years (range 18 months to 17 years), mean weight 48 kg (range 11.5 to 109 kg, median 49 kg). A coaxial US-guided technique was used, with a mean of 8.2 passes and a mean 7.6 cores obtained (range 2-15). There were no major complications. The biopsies were adequate in volume and quality of specimens in 29/32, and 25/32 were diagnostic. PCNB was diagnostic in all cases of non-Hodgkin disease.
Conclusions: Experience with anterior mediastinal masses suggests that US-guided PCNB can be considered a viable, safe and accurate method of reaching a diagnosis in the pediatric population.