Postbiopsy pneumothorax: estimating the risk by chest radiography and pulmonary function tests

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pulmonary function tests and chest radiographs of 160 patients who had had percutaneous needle biopsy of lung lesions were reviewed to determine the value of these examinations in estimating the risk of postbiopsy pneumothorax. Chest radiographs were evaluated subjectively for changes of obstructive and restrictive airway disease and for size and depth of lesion. Pulmonary function tests, consisting of simple spirometry (forced vital capacity, percentage of predicted forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, and [forced expiratory in 1 sec/forced vital capacity] X 100), and the pulmonologist's interpretation were evaluated. Pneumothorax developed in 46% (31/67) of patients who had obstructive airway disease according to the results of pulmonary function tests and in 42% (34/81) of those who had obstructive airway disease according to changes on chest radiographs, compared with 19% (10/53) and 25% (17/67) of those who had normal pul...