EFFICACY AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTIHOLE FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION OF HEAD AND NECK MASSES

To determine whether the specimen from fine-needle aspiration (FNA) bi opsy of head and neck masses has greater diagnostic accuracy when usin g multihole needles than when using conventional, single-hole needles, we did a prospective, randomized, single-blinded study comparing diag noses obtained using both types of needles in FNA biopsies of head and neck masses, Eighty-eight patients served as their own controls and h ad 91 FNA biopsies with both multihole and single-hole, 22-gauge needl es, Order of biopsy was randomized and was unknown to the cytopatholog ist. No statistically significant differences were noted in quantity o f specimen material obtained, quality of fixation, or diagnostic value between the multihole and conventional needle, We found no advantage in using the more costly multihole needle in FNA biopsy of head and ne ck masses.