Application of multimodal MRI and radiologic features for stereotactic brain biopsy: insights from a series of 208 patients

Abstract

Objectives

We reviewed our institutional experience during a 10-year period for improvement of safety and efficacy of stereotactic biopsy procedures.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of inpatient summaries, stereotactic worksheets and radiologic investigations of 208 consecutive patients, who underwent MRI-guided stereotactic biopsies between March 2010 and March 2020.

Results

The overall diagnostic yield was 96.2%. CT-confirmed intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 17 patients (8.2%), and the overall mortality rate was 0.5%. Combined MRS and PWI helped target selection in 27 cases (13.0%), the diagnostic yield was 100%. The results of the regression analysis revealed that non-diagnostic biopsy specimen significantly correlated with the cystic trait (p<.01) and edema of lesions (p<.05). Enhancement (p<.01) is shown to be an important factor for obtaining a diagnostic biopsy. Furthermore, the edema trait of lesions (p<.01) showed the important factors of hemorrhage.

Conclusions

The radiological features of lesions and use of the most suitable MRI sequences during biopsy planning are recommended ways to improve the diagnostic yield and safety of this technique.

Keywords:

• Stereotactic biopsy
• multimodal MRI
• radiologic characteristic
• diagnostic yield

Disclosure statement

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by The Science and Technology Project Grant of Anhui Province (No. 1606c08235 and 1604a0802069) and The Central Government Guidance Local Science and Technology Development Project of Anhui Province (No. 2019b07030001).