FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION (FNA) IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SOFT-TISSUE TUMORS -A REVIEW OF 22 YEARS EXPERIENCE

FNA plays an important role in preoperative diagnosis of soft tissue t umours. A close clinical/morphologic cooperation is essential. FNA sho uld be performed on the most accessible part of the tumour, avoiding p enetration of the deep portions of the tumour. Needles 0.7 mm (22 G) a re recommended. For deep lesions, needles with a stylet should be used . After the FNA, tattooing of the aspiration channel is recommended, a nd the channel is surgically removed together with the tumour, if a sa rcoma. Material from the FNA can be used for additional examinations, i.e, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, DNA ploidy analysis an d chromosomal analysis. Those techniques are of great importance in th e differential diagnosis, particularly in the paediatric small/round c ell tumours. The majority of sarcomas can be defined as low grade or h igh grade malignant in FNA. For malignancy grading the following param eters are used: cellularity, pleomorphism, chromatin pattern, nucleola r structure, mitotic figures and necroses. Cytodiagnostic details of t he most common soft tissue tumours and their differential diagnoses ar e presented.