[The value of fine-needle biopsy under ultrasonic control in the diagnosis of kidney tumors]. / Die Wertigkeit der ultraschallgeleiteten Feinnadelpunktion in der Diagnostik von Nierentumoren.

ABSTRACT

127 fine-needle aspiration biopsies obtained under ultrasonographic control from circumscribed kidney lesions of 102 patients (with histologically examined lesions) were selected from a total of 867 fine-needle aspiration biopsies performed in the years between 1978 and 1986. The result of the cytological examination was compared with the histological diagnosis of the lesion. A correct diagnosis of the nature of the lesion (concerning dignity) was achieved in 90.2% of the cases under optimal circumstances. No mistakenly positive diagnosis was made. A total of 88% of the histologically malignant tumors or 80.2% of the kidney cancers were correctly diagnosed already on the basis of the cytological examination. The fine-needle aspiration can be repeated when the obtained material is insufficient A kidney cancer was diagnosed in this way 13 times among 22 patients. The cytological examination permitted a more precise tumor-type differentiation in the large majority of cases. These results demonstrate the value of this diagnostic tool that carries only an irrelevant risk.