Diagnosis of breast lesions by fine needle aspiration biopsy

The authors performed 480 fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) of breast masses for cytologic diagnosis in 464 patients. Parallel surgical biopsy with histologic examination was carried out in 163 patients; the results were identical in 161. Two hundred eight of 297 benign lesions and 83 of 96 malignant tumors were diagnosed positively by FNAB. In 87 instances FNAB was not diagnostic but excluded malignancy, while in 87 others, the cytologic specimen was inadequate for diagnosis. There was one false-positive and one false-negative result. There were virtually no complications. FNAB of breast masses is a simple and reliable method, easy to carry out in ambulatory patients.