Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of lymphangiographically normal lymph nodes: a negative view

Clinical acceptance of lymphangiography has been limited primarily by a high false-negative rate. Two recent reports suggest that fine-needle aspiration biopsy of lymphangiographically normal lymph nodes can detect "silent" metastases, thereby improving lymphangiography as a staging procedure. Aspiration biopsies were performed on radiographically normal lymph nodes bilaterally in 49 patients with carcinoma of the prostate or bladder, without detecting a single metastasis. Even though fewer nodes were biopsied in each case than in the two previous studies, the results of this study cast doubts on the assertion that percutaneous aspiration biopsy of lymphangiographically normal nodes can detect most nodal metastases.