Image-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy. One year experience

An analysis of one year experience with fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) guided by computed tomography or ultrasound was conducted in a tertiary care reference center. We performed 66 procedures, two of them considered insufficient (97% technical success). The overall sensitivity was 90% and the specificity 100%. There were five false negative and no false positive results. The cytological diagnosis was confirmed with core biopsy of surgical specimen (available in 30 patients, 47%), discharge diagnosis and/or clinical evolution. Twenty seven patients had a positive FNAB for malignancy. The complication rate was 12%, all of them considered as minor complications which resolved with conservative management. There was a concordance between FNAB results and final diagnosis in 91.5% of the cases. Fine needle aspiration biopsy is a very useful diagnostic procedure if performed adequately.