Ultrasonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of intrathoracic tumors.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy and complication frequency at ultrasonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of intrathoracic tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 134 ultrasonographically guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsies were performed on 128 patients with intrathoracic tumors abutting on the pleura. A cytologic diagnosis was obtained in 119 patients (93%). RESULTS: In 83 patients, cytologic malignancy was found; in 34, benignity; and in 2, cellular atypia. A total of 117 diagnoses were correct and 2 diagnoses were false-positive. A malignancy subtyping based on the cytologic aspirates was made in 80 patients. In 40 (93%) of 43 histologically proven subtypes, the subtyping was correct. The complication frequency in terms of pneumothorax was 3.7%. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographically guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a safe and reliable method of establishing the cytologic diagnosis of intrathoracic tumors.