Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous renal biopsy: efficacy and safety

Abstract

Renal biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing, staging, and management of diseases of the renal parenchyma. Although ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy is the technique of choice due to its cost-effectiveness, advances in tomography have improved the accuracy of needle localization and diagnosis, although with a risk of hemorrhagic complications of 6-8%. This retrospective study analyzed 166 CT-guided percutaneous biopsies in a hospital between May 2019 and July 2024, finding that 100% of the biopsies provided a correct diagnosis on the first take, with an average of 13.71 glomeruli per sample. 77.71% of post-biopsy hematomas were reported, most of them grade I, and only 4.21% required hospital admission. The comparative analysis with other studies highlights that, although ultrasound- guided biopsy usually shows more glomeruli, tomography is equally effective in obtaining a definitive diagnosis. Furthermore, it is emphasized that operator experience reduces the risk of complications. In conclusion, CT-guided percutaneous renal biopsy is an effective, safe technique with a low rate of serious complications, allowing accurate diagnoses without repeated invasive procedures.