[Ultrasonically guided percutaneous transperitoneal fine needle biopsy of pancreatic tumours (author's transl)]

Using a new automatic aspiration device, guided percutaneous fine needle biopsy was done in 40 patients with sonographically (real time method) localised space-occupying tumour-suspect lesions in the pancreatic area. Cytohistological evaluation of the aspirates (n = 40) was correct in demonstrating tumour cells in 87.5%. False negative or non-valid results were found in 12.5%. Tumour cells were demonstrated in 22 out of 26 malignancies. Four out of 26 cases had false negative results and there were no false positives. There were no complications associated with the transperitoneal aspiration. Sonographically guided percutaneous fine needle aspiration is a valuable method for preoperative cytohistological confirmation of tumour-suspect masses in the pancreatic area.