The air bubble technique for confirming the location of an image-guided biopsy – a technical note

Abstract

We describe a technique for accurate localisation of the biopsy-site following image-guided biopsy of an intracranial lesion. The injection of 0.1 ml of air through the biopsy needle, allows the exact location of the biopsy to be visualised on post-operative CT scans performed within 24 hours of the procedure. Knowledge of the location of the biopsy can be useful in resolving ambiguous histological findings and the possibility of sampling error. Injection of 0.1 ml air is a safe and effective method for verifying the location of intracranial biopsies and is recommended as a routine part of image-guided biopsy procedures.

Key words:

• Brain tumours
• biopsy
• image-guided surgery
• surgical procedure