[Cytological diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma based on ultrasonically guided fine needle biopsy]

1902 ultrasonically guided fine needle aspirations of liver were examined in the Cytology Department of the Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Zürich, in the period 1977 to March 1987. 75 of the patients had hepatocellular carcinoma which was confirmed by clinical follow-up, laboratory data and/or by histology. In 71 cases (94.6%) malignancy was diagnosed with certainty or was strongly suspected. There were no false positive diagnoses of malignancy. 2 cases of well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma were interpreted as liver cell hyperplasia. Hepatocellular carcinoma was distinguished from metastatic tumors in 68 of 75 cases (= 83%). In 7 cases a metastatic process was misinterpreted as primary liver cell carcinoma. However, in 3 cases tumors diagnosed as metastases proved to be hepatocellular carcinomas. The efficacy and limits of the technique of ultrasonically guided fine needle aspiration in the diagnoses of liver pathology are discussed.