Apical malignancies diagnosed by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy

Sixteen patients with apical malignancies, including 12 with Pancoast tumors and four with metastatic apical pleural masses, underwent chest ultrasound (US) examinations and direct percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Of those, 15 patients were proven to have malignancies by FNAB and the remaining patient (only revealing necrosis by FNAB) was also proven to have a Pancoast tumor after surgical intervention. Percutaneous FNAB was performed through the supraclavicular approach (n = 10) or through the upper back (n = 6). The sonographic appearances of the apical malignancies were homogeneous hypoechoic (n = 8), homogeneous isoechoic (n = 3) or heterogeneous (n = 5). No complications occurred after the FNAB. Our limited experience showed that a convex probe was convenient and useful in the detection of apical malignancies. Apical malignancies, diagnosed previously by percutaneous needle aspiration under fluoroscopy or surgical intervention, can be easily diagnosed by percutaneous FNAB, especially when the FNAB is performed using the supraclavicular approach.