Extended stereotactic brain biopsy in suspected primary central nervous system angiitis: good diagnostic accuracy and high safety.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and safety of extended stereotactic brain biopsy (ESBB) in a single center cohort with suspected primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS).

Methods: A standardized stereotactic biopsy targeting MRI-positive lesions and collecting samples from the meninges and the cortex as well as from the white matter was performed in 23 patients with clinically suspected PACNS between 2010 and 2017. The relationship between biopsy yield and clinical characteristics, cerebrospinal fluid parameters, MR-imaging, time point of biopsy and exact localization of biopsy as well as number of tissue samples were examined.