Utility of image-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology from neoplastic hepatic and gallbladder lesions

Abstract

Introduction: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an important and successful method for liver and gallbladder (GB) lesion diagnosis. Aspiration from liver and GB masses and its cytological evaluation differentiate whether it is benign or malignant. It is of huge help to the clinician for deciding on timely and appropriate management of the patient. Image-guided FNAC of liver lesions helps to know lesion localization whether it is multifocal, with the benefit of multiple passes for adequate sampling. Aims and Objective: This study aims at finding the importance and effectivity of image-guided FNAC of liver and GB masses with the main focus on the diagnosis of neoplastic lesions. Materials and Methods: The study was a prospective study conducted in the Cytology Section in the Department of Pathology, Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior, from January 2019 to March 2021. All the slides of liver and GB fossa mass aspiration done with help of image guidance were stained and examined. Results: There were a total of 86 cases, out of which six cases had unsatisfactory material, thus rendering them as nondiagnostic (7%). The diagnostic efficacy is 93%. Out of 80 cases, 71 (87.5%) were reported neoplastic and 9 (12.5%) were nonneoplastic. Among neoplastic lesions (71/80, i.e., 88.7%), 70 were malignant and one case was reported as suspicious for malignancy. Out of 71 neoplastic lesions, 39 were from liver mass and 32 were from GB fossa. Among 38 malignant neoplastic tumors of the liver, six cases were hepatocellular carcinoma (15.7%). Out of 32 metastatic lesions to the liver, 30 were of adenocarcinoma and one case each of small-cell morphology and lymphoma. Conclusions: Cytological evaluation is an important tool and can be applied as the first line of diagnostics in the management of liver masses and can characterize liver masses. GB lesion cytology has more diagnostic yields and accuracy of differentiating neoplastic lesions from nonneoplastic lesions. Hence, from the study, we can conclude that advanced techniques in the cytological study of liver and GB mass can give an early diagnosis.