Background:

Stereotactic brain biopsy (SBB) is used for establishing the histological diagnosis of intracranial lesions that are not amenable for a direct surgical approach.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to describe our experience having an evaluation of the biopsy sample by a neuropathologist during SBB.

Materials and methods:

Retrospective analysis of 140 consecutive patients who underwent SBB between 2014 and 2018 in whom trans-operatory analysis of the sample was performed.

Results:

There were 56% men. The mean age was 45 years. Histological diagnosis was performed in 131 of 140 patients (94% overall diagnostic yield). The presurgical radiological diagnosis was correct in 39%. Neoplastic lesions were reported in 108 cases, and 32 were non-neoplastic. We performed craniotomy and resection after biopsy in 14%. We found complications in 6% of patients.

Conclusions:

SBB continues to be a safe, useful, and inexpensive procedure. The diagnostic performance of SBB increases when intraoperative cytological evaluation by a neuropathologist is included in the study.