Diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration biopsy of palpable colonic masses

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in pa tients with palpable colonic masses. STUDY DESIGN: FNAB was performed on 32 patients with palpable colonic masse s before subjecting them to; colonoscopic examination. Smears prepared from the material obtained by aspiration biopsy were examined. The results of a spiration biopsy were confirmed by histopathologic examination of the tissu e obtained on colonoscopy or surgery or by a salutory response to antituber culous therapy in patients with tuberculosis of the colon. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients had carcinoma of the colon, and three had ile ocecal tuberculosis, Aspiration biopsy could correctly diagnose all the cas es with malignancy and two of the three cases with colonic tuberculosis. Co lonoscopy could not be performed on two patients with cancer of the colon. However, a barium enema examination revealed evidence of cecal malignancy i n both patients. In the two patients diagnosed as having colonic tuberculos is by FNAB, colonoscopic biopsies revealed only nonspecific changes. There were no false positive results or complications of the procedure. CONCLUSION: FNAB is a simple, rapid and accurate method of diagnosing palpa ble colonic masses.