What to expect after your CT-guided lung biopsy

Medicines

If we have told you to stop taking warfarin or other blood thinning treatment, we will let you know when to restart them before your discharge.

Biopsy site dressing

After the procedure, you will have a small cut in your skin at the site where we took the biopsy. We will cover the wound site with a waterproof dressing.

  • Keep the dressing clean and dry. There is no need to change the dressing daily.  Only change it if it gets wet or dirty. After 48 hours, you can remove the dressing and shower and bath normally.

Pain relief

As the local anaesthetic wears off, you may become aware of tenderness at the biopsy site.  

  • You can treat this with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol.

For the first 24 hours do not take Nurofen or aspirin as these can make any bruising worse.

Chest pain

It is usual to experience a small amount of chest pain after a biopsy.

If you experience worsening chest pain, do the following:

  • Go to your nearest emergency department (A&E).
  • When you arrive, tell reception that you have recently had a CT guided needle biopsy of the lung.

Bleeding

Blood at the biopsy site

If you experience active bleeding from the biopsy site, do the following:

  • ask someone to gently press a flannel or small towel on the bleeding spot for 10 minutes without stopping.

If the bleeding continues, contact your GP or go to your nearest emergency department (A&E).

Blood in your mucus

It is usual to cough up streaks of blood in the sputum (mucus) for up to 7 days following a lung biopsy.

If you cough up clots of blood, go to your nearest emergency department (A&E).

They will assess you, X ray you and may monitor you until the bleeding settles.

Important information

When to seek urgent medical help
A&E icon.jpg
Go to your nearest emergency department (A&E) if you experience the following:

  • unexpected or worsening chest pain
  • shortness of breath
  • dizziness or faintness
  • coughing up of clots of blood (small streaks of blood are usual and are not an emergency).

When you arrive, tell reception that you have recently had a CT guided needle biopsy of the lung at Kingston Hospital.

Biopsy results

Your consultant or their team will arrange a follow-up appointment for you.

Biopsy results can take up to a week or more and they will be sent to the doctor who referred you. (They will not be sent to the Radiology Department).

Get in touch with your consultant or their team if you still have not heard from them after 10 days.

You can find their number on your appointment letter (if you have one).  You can also contact them by calling the Kingston Hospital switchboard on 020 8546 7711 and asking for the department which is looking after you.

Contact information

Interventional Radiology department, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Telephone:

020 8934 2758