Percutaneous needle biopsy for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

Percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy of the pancreas is a safe procedure, which may be done inexpensively and rapidly accomplished with high diagnostic accuracy. The major drawback of this technique is the need for a competent cytopathologist for specimen interpretation. It is quite possible, as more trained personnel become available, that percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy may become the technique of choice for establishing the diagnosis of pancreatic malignancy.