Pre-existing PET/CT fusion images improve the diagnostic efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic efficacy and complications of CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy based on PET/CT fusion images. Methods: : A retrospective analysis was conducted on 87 cases of percutaneous lung biopsy from January 2019 to June 2023, performed in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Northern Theater General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Preoperative CT or PET-CT images of all patients indicated suspicious malignant lung nodules. Based on the imaging method, the patients were divided into the PET/CT fusion image group (47 cases) and the conventional CT group(40 cases). The PET/CT fusion image group underwent percutaneous lung biopsy guided by the fusion of PET/CT images obtained within 14 days prior to the biopsy and intraoperative CT images. The conventional CT group underwent percutaneous lung biopsy guided by intraoperative CT images. Results: : The biopsy diagnostic rate and diagnostic accuracy in the fusion image group were 68.0% (32/47) and 87.2% (41/47), respectively. In the conventional CT group, the biopsy diagnostic rate and diagnostic accuracy were 62.5% (25/40) and 67.5% (27/40), respectively. The diagnostic rate for malignant tumors in the PET/CT fusion image group (96.6%, 29/30) was significantly higher than that in the conventional CT group (86.2%, 25/29) (P=0.035). No serious procedure-related complications were observed in the PET/CT fusion image group or the conventional CT group. Conclusion: PET/CT fusion images have important clinical value in improving the biopsy diagnostic rate, diagnostic accuracy, and reducing procedure-related complications for suspicious lung nodules.