Fine-needle aspiration of the adult kidney

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the adult kidney is an excellent diagnostic tool in the appropriate clinical setting. The indications, cytologic criteria, and therapeutic implications of renal FNA may be changing.

A review of the English language literature concerning the indications, utility, and criteria for renal FNA was performed.

The indications for renal FNA are changing as radiologic imaging allows better assessment of cystic lesions and incidentally identifies an increasing percentage of renal lesions. Cytologic criteria and pitfalls for the diagnosis of a wide variety of benign and malignant lesions have been delineated and refined. The increasing use of partial rather than radical nephrectomy for some renal lesions suggests that accurate distinction between these lesions may have important therapeutic implications.

Renal FNA provides important information that can affect the management of patients with renal masses.