FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION - TECHNIQUE AND SMEAR PREPARATION

Fine-needle aspiration Is a rapid, accurate and inexpensive method to obtain a tissue specimen for diagnosis of suspicious lesions. The numb er of fine-needle aspirations performed can be expected to increase in this era of cost-conscious medicine. However, an accurate diagnosis i s highly dependent on the quality bf the smears, adequate clinical inf ormation and the experience of the pathologist. The clinician must be able to perform this procedure skillfully and provide good smears. Fin e-needle aspiration skills can be learned by using the techniques desc ribed in this article and by continued training and experience. The mo st important factors are immobilization of the mass, the use of very s mall fine needles, sampling both with and without aspiration, use of m ultiple passes with the needle, reaspiration of any residual mass afte r fluid drainage if a cyst is encountered, aspiration of the margins o f large masses, the;two-slide smearing technique and rapid fixation of smears:Finally, extensive clinical information must be supplied to th e pathologist interpreting the smears.