EVALUATION OF DIGITALLY GUIDED FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY VERSUSFINE-NEEDLE CORE BIOPSY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF RECURRENT RECTAL-CANCER

The clinical value of transrectally digitally guided fine needle aspir ation cytology (FNAC) was compared with fine needle core biopsy (FNCB) . FNAC was performed with a 21G and FNCB with a 18G needle. No prophyl actic antibiotic was given. In the first part of the study 100 patient s (20 primary/80 recurrences, 17 benign/83 cancers) were studied by bo th techniques. In 93% a definite diagnoses was given in FNAC specimen versus 96% of the FNCB cases. There were no false positive cancer diag noses. The sensitivity of the FNAC was 88% versus 68% of the FNCB spec imens. This difference was statistically significant. In a second part of the study 142 specimens of recurrent cases were examined by FNAC i ncluding 78 of the patients of the first part. The negative predictive value was around 60% for FNAC versus around 40% for FNCB. Both techni ques were without any major complications. For the diagnosis of a palp able recurrent pelvic tumour a digitally guided puncture may be tried before proceeding to CT or US guided examination. In our hands FNAC se ems preferable to FNCB.