Usefulness of Interferon-gamma Release Assay in Diagnosing Pulmonary Nodules

Seoul National University Hospital400 enrolled

Overview

Among the causes of the solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN), benign causes including tuberculosis was noted on 15 to 60 percents in various studies. Although the characteristics of chest imaging is helpful in diagnosis and percutaneous needle biopsy for pulmonary nodule has been represented high diagnostic yield in many reports, but still surgical biopsy has been needed in definite diagnosis of pulmonary nodules in many cases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of interferon-gamma release assay in addition to the percutaneous needle biopsy, in diagnosis of pulmonary nodules.

Among the patients who failed to diagnosis by percutaneous needle biopsy and needed to have Surgical biopsy, thirty percents of the patients were diagnosed as benign nodules and about six percents were diagnosed as tuberculosis in Seoul National University Hospital during 2007-2008. The investigators want to know whether conducting an interferon-gamma release assay in addition to percutaneous needle biopsy is helpful in diagnosis of lung nodules.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

400

Conditions

Solitary Pulmonary Nodule

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age\> 18 years * in patients with solitary pulmonary nodule * who had percutaneous needle biopsy for diagnosis of lung nodule Exclusion Criteria: * patients who do not agree the study enrollment

Locations (2)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Positive rate of the interferon-gamma release assay

the result of the interferon-gamma release assay is reported in three different categories as positive, negative or indeterminate. We want to know whether the positive rate of the interferon-gamma release asssay would be significantly different according to the pathologic diagnosis of lung nodules confirmed by percutaneous needle biopsy.

Time frame: within 36hrs after blood sampling

Secondary Outcomes

Positive rate of the Tuberculin skin test

We will conduct Tuberculin skin test and evaluate the whether the positive rate of the Tuberculin skin test would be different according to the pathologic diagnosis of lung nodules confirmed by percutaneous needle biopsy.

Time frame: 48hours after tuberculin skin test