Fine needle aspiration biopsy in selecting treatment for inconclusive intraocular disease

To evaluate the fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) as a diagnostic tool in cases where it was impossible to make a definitive diagnosis with noninvasive techniques.

80 consecutive patients with inconclusive diagnoses were examined by FNAB prior to decision of treatment. Biopsies were performed through a transscleral route in 50 eyes, an anterior chamber route in 16 eyes and a transvitreal approach in 14 eyes. The consequences of FNAB were analysed retrospectively.

FNAB confirmed malignancy in 59 eyes. Inconclusive material was obtained from 5 eyes judged clinically to be malignant disorders. One melanoma was misinterpreted as being a metastasis. In 47.5% of our patients this procedure altered the therapeutic plan and 25 patients were spared enucleation. The biopsy material was correctly diagnosed as benign in 16 cases.

In eyes where the diagnosis remained uncertain after non-invasive tests, FNAB gave important information which greatly influenced our choice of treatment. FNAB contained sufficient tissue elements for cytological diagnosis in 77 eyes. Cytopathological interpretation failed once in relation to tumour type. The procedure of FNAB can be recommended for use in ambiguous tumour cases of the eye. Probably it should only be used in tumour centres with adequate cytology service.