The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the safety and diagnostic yield of computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy-guided biopsy for pulmonary lesions with interlobar fissure contact.

Seventy-two lesions showing interlobar fissure contact (mean size, 15.2 ± 5.3 [SD] mm [range: 5.3–27.0 mm]; mean length of interlobar fissure contact, 8.9 ± 3.6 [SD] mm [range: 2.6–17.5 mm] in 72 patients (33 men, 39 women; mean age, 69.7 ± 10.3 [SD] years; age range: 37–91 years) were evaluated. Multiple variables were assessed to determine the risk factors for diagnostic failure and pneumothorax. Additionally, these variables were compared between these 72 lesions and randomly selected controls (i.e., non-contact lesions).

All biopsies were technically successful using the transfissural (n = 14) or conventional routes (the route into the lung lobe with the target) with (n = 35) or without (n = 23) possible risk of needle insertion into the interlobar fissure after penetrating the target lesion. Sixty-eight (94.4%) procedures succeeded diagnostically and four (5.6%) failed. There were 27 grade I pneumothorax (37.5%), one (1.4%) grade II bleeding, and five (6.9%) grade IIIa pneumothorax requiring chest tube placement. Groups with and without pneumothorax did not differ significantly in patient-, lesion-, or procedure-related variables. Diagnostic yields and pneumothorax occurrence showed no significant differences between lesions with interlobar fissure contact and controls.

CT fluoroscopy-guided biopsy of pulmonary lesions with interlobar fissure contact is a safe procedure with a high diagnostic yield. Furthermore, because of potential complications, the transfissural route should be used only when a safer route is not possible.