ULTRASONOGRAPHICALLY GUIDED FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY OF INTRATHORACIC TUMORS

Purpose: Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy and complication frequency at ultra sonographically guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of intra thoracic tumors.Material and Methods: A total of 134 ultrasonographica lly guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsies were performed on 128 patients with intrathoracic tumors abutting on the pleura. A c ytologic diagnosis was obtained in 119 patients (93%). Results: In 83 patients, cytologic malignancy was found; in 34, benignity; and in 2, cellular atypia. A total of 117 diagnoses were correct and 2 diagnoses were false-positive, A malignancy subtyping based on the cytologic as pirates was made in 80 patients. In 40 (93%) of 43 histologically prov en subtypes, the subtyping was correct. The complication frequency in terms of pneumothorax was 3.7%. Conclusion: Ultrasonographically guide d percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a safe and reliable me thod of establishing the cytologic diagnosis of intrathoracic tumors.