Accuracy and complications of percutaneous transthoracic needle lung biopsy for the diagnosis of malignancy in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

• In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle lung biopsy (PTNB) showed a relatively reasonable accuracy for the diagnosis of malignancy. • Target lesion size ≤ 3 cm and biopsy needle tip placement outside the target lesion were risk factors for nondiagnostic results of CT-guided PTNB. • The complication rate may be high, especially in cases where the biopsy needle passes through honeycomb lesions.