Sensitivity Of Fine-needle Aspiration Research Articles

Evaluation of Sensitivity and Specificity of Ultrasound-Guided FNA of Suspicious Axillary Lymph Nodes in Patients with Breast Cancer

Background: The axillary lymph node status in breast cancer is a major prognostic factor in survival and establishing a personalized treatment scheme. The ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) is a method for taking a lymph node sample. It allows physicians to decide how to manage the axilla. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the sensitivity of the US-FNA technique on suspicious axillary lymph nodes with a thickness of 3 to 6 mm in breast cancer patients. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, all the patients were subjected to preoperative ultrasound evaluation of the axilla to determine the presence of lymph nodes suspicious of malignancy. In cases where the suspicious lymph node cortex size was between 3 and 6 mm, US-FNA was performed. After surgery, the frozen section of the biopsy sample was examined histologically and compared with fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology results. Results: A total of 102 patients were examined in the study. FNA test results indicated that 46 subjects had axillary malignant tissue, and benign cases summed 56. Also, the final results of frozen section surgical histopathology identified 46.1% of patients with involved lymph nodes. The sensitivity and specificity of FNA were 93.62% and 96.36%, respectively. Also, the overall diagnostic accuracy was 95.1%. Conclusions: This study showed that the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were more than 90% for the ultrasound-guided FNA test in identifying involved lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer. Therefore, the results of this test can be considered clinically reliable. However, there is still a need to examine the sensitivity and specificity of this method in identifying lymph node involvement.

Comparison of Diagnostic Sensitivity and Procedure-Related Pain of Concurrent Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Aspiration and Core-needle Biopsy of Axillary Lymph Nodes in Patients with Suspected or Known Breast Cancer.

Conflicting data exist on the diagnostic sensitivity of core-needle biopsy (CNB) compared to fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in the evaluation of axillary lymph node metastasis from breast cancer. Our purpose was to evaluate the sensitivity of CNB and FNA using subsequent axillary surgery as the gold standard and to compare the patients' subjective pain levels for each biopsy method. This IRB-approved prospective study enrolled 140 patients from February 2014 to May 2019 with known or suspected breast cancer. Patients underwent both US-guided FNA and 14-gauge CNB of the same node with clip placement and rated their pain level using a verbal numerical rating scale of 0 to 10. The diagnostic sensitivities were determined by pathology of the surgically excised lymph node using the McNemar test of correlated proportions. Changes in pain scores for CNB and FNA were determined using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. A total of 94 patients had confirmatory excision of the biopsied node with nodal metastasis detected in 71.3% (67/94). The sensitivity of CNB for detection of nodal metastasis was 95.5% (64/67), while the sensitivity of FNA was 67.2% (45/67) (P < 0.05). Overall pain score ratings for CNB increased by 0.6 from baseline on an 11-point numerical rating scale, while overall pain score rating for FNA decreased by 0.2 from baseline (P < 0.05). Our study demonstrates that 14-gauge CNB has superior sensitivity for detection of axillary nodal metastases and mildly increased pain compared with 25-gauge FNA in patients with breast cancer.

Analysis of ultrasonography and cytology potential in differential diagnosis of major salivary gland neoplasms

Background: Salivary gland tumors account for up to 5% of all head and neck neoplasms. Ultrasonography is one of the main diagnostic modalities for the salivary gland pathology; however, its diagnostic potential is under scrutiny. Fine needle aspiration cytology is considered the main diagnostic method, although its role in the differential diagnosis is disputable.Objective: To identify, based on morphology results, the effectiveness of the main ultrasonographic signs indicating major salivary gland neoplasms in the differential diagnosis and study these signs, to evaluate the effectiveness of fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of benign and malignant major salivary gland neoplasms.Materials and methods: This retrospective study evaluated a group of 220 patients. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of qualitative ultrasonographic signs of salivary gland neoplasms, analyzed the fine needle aspiration effectiveness, and compared results accuracy by calculating Pearson’s empirical χ-square.Results: Common ultrasonographic signs of benign salivary gland neoplasms included a clear contour (97.5%) and decreased echogenicity (72.7%). Malignant tumors frequently presented with a clear contour (76.7%), uneven contour (72.1%), and decreased echogenicity (69.8%). Fine needle aspiration sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of benign neoplasms were 75.5% and 53.6%, respectively. Fine needle aspiration sensitivity and specificity in respect of malignant tumors were 50% and 94%, respectively. Pearson’s χ-square value for the clear contour had significant differences in favor of benign neoplasms.Discussion: Benign and malignant salivary gland neoplasms often have a similar ultrasonographic pattern. A significant diagnostic sign of malignant tumors is the uneven contour. We compared the effectiveness of cytological differentiation between benign and malignant neoplasms and found high rates of specificity and accuracy for malignant tumor diagnosis.Conclusions: Clear contour and decreased echogenicity are significant ultrasonographic signs in the differentiation of benign neoplasms. Uneven contour is a significant differentiating factor for malignant neoplasms. Cytology can be used for initial morphology in diagnosing major salivary gland neoplasms, but in half of the cases it fails to identify the nature and type of the tumor.

Myxoid Soft Tissue Tumors: A 20-Year Experience on Fine Needle Aspiration with Application of the Proposed WHO Reporting System for Soft Tissue Cytopathology

Introduction: Myxoid soft tissue tumors represent a heterogenous group of neoplasms. The study presented our experience on cytopathology of myxoid soft tissue tumors on fine needle aspiration (FNA) and aimed to apply the recently proposed WHO system for reporting soft tissue cytopathology. Material and Methods: We performed a 20-year retrospective search of our archives to identify all FNAs performed on myxoid soft tissue lesions. All cases were reviewed, and the WHO reporting system was applied. Results: 129 FNAs performed in 121 patients (62 males; 59 females) showed a prominent myxoid component, accounting for 2.4% of all soft tissue FNAs. The FNAs were performed on 111 (86.7%) primary tumors, 17 (13.2%) recurrent tumors, and one (0.8%) metastatic lesion. A spectrum of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions including both benign and malignant neoplasms was identified. Overall, the most common tumors identified were myxoid liposarcoma (27.1%), intramuscular myxoma (15.5%), and myxofibrosarcoma (13.1%). The sensitivity and specificity of FNA regarding the nature of the lesion (benign vs. malignant) were 98% and 100%, respectively. When the WHO reporting system was applied, the frequency of the categories was as follows: benign (7.8%), atypical (34.1%), soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain malignant potential (18.6%), suspicious for malignancy (3.1%), and malignant (36.4%). The risk of malignancy calculated in each category was as follows: benign (10%), atypical (31.8%), soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain malignant potential (50%), suspicious for malignancy (100%), and malignant (100%). Conclusion: A diverse group of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions can show a prominent myxoid component on FNA. The WHO reporting system for soft tissue cytopathology is easily applicable and appears to correlate well with the malignant potential of myxoid tumors.

Optimal method for detecting cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid cancer.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is often accompanied by cervical lymph node metastases (LNM). This study compared the diagnostic performance of fine needle aspiration (FNA), the combination of FNA and thyroglobulin measurement in the washout (FNA-Tg), and core needle biopsy(CNB) in order to determine the optimal method in detecting cervical LNM from PTC. PTC patients with suspicious cervical lymph nodes, who underwent ultrasonography-guided FNA, or CNB before surgery were retrospectively reviewed between January 2021 and April 2022. Patients' demographics, lymph node size, and results of FNA, FNA-Tg, CNB and surgical pathology were collected. Sensitivitity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy and the area under the curves (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic were obtained. FNA-Tg had a higher AUC with a threshold of 55 ng/mL than that with a threshold of 1 ng/mL (0.782 vs. 0.636, P = 0.005). The sensitivity of the combination of FNA and FNA-Tg was higher than that of FNA alone (91.3% vs. 81.0%, P = 0.01), but it was not different from that of CNB (91.3% vs. 88.0%, P > 0.05). No significant difference was found in specificity, PPV, NPV, accuracy and AUC among FNA alone, CNB alone, and the combination of FNA and FNA-Tg. FNA-Tg is useful to improve the sensitivity of FNA. The diagnostic performance of the combination of FNA and FNA-Tg is better than that of FNA or FNA-Tg alone, but is not different from that of CNB in detecting LNM from PTC.

The value of concurrent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirates and needle core biopsies in the diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms.

BackgroundEndoscopic ultrasound (EUS) fine needle aspiration (FNA) is highly sensitive and specific in the detection and diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms. EUS‐guided needle core biopsy has been used alone or as an adjunct to maximize diagnostic yield. This study compared the use of FNA versus needle core biopsy in the diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms.MethodsFrom January 1, 2018 through December 21, 2020, the Cytopathology Laboratory processed 374 FNAs from solid pancreatic masses of which 332 (89%) had concurrent pancreatic biopsies and form the basis of this study.ResultsOf the 332 FNAs, 173 (52%) were positive/suspicious for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 33 (10%) were positive for a neoplasm, 20 (6%) were atypical 19 (6%) were negative and 87 (26%) were non‐diagnostic. Biopsies were concordant in 248 (75%) cases and discordant in 84 (25%) cases. Of the 84 discordant cases, 29 (35%) had neoplastic cells on FNA of which 14 were atypical, 11 were negative and 4 were nondiagnostic on core biopsy. Of the 18 (21%) FNAs with atypical cells, 8 showed adenocarcinoma on core biopsy. Thirty‐seven nondiagnostic FNAs showed adenocarcinoma on 25 (70%) core biopsies. If nondiagnostic FNAs were included, FNA sensitivity was 89% and specificity; 100%, and both were 100%, if the nondiagnostic cases were excluded. The needle core biopsy sensitivity was 91% and specificity; 100%.ConclusionBoth FNAs and core biopsies show high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of pancreatic neoplasms. However, combining the techniques enhances cellular yields and provides material for ancillary tests.

Comparison of diagnostic value of SWE, FNA and BRAF gene detection in ACR TI-RADS 4 and 5 thyroid nodules.

To compare the diagnostic value of shear wave elastography (SWE), fine needle aspiration (FNA) and BRAF gene detection (BRAFV600E gene mutation detection) in ACR TI-RADS 4 and 5 thyroid nodules. SWE images, FNA cytological results and BRAF detection results of ACR TI-RADS 4 and 5 thyroid nodules confirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospectively. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to determine the best cutoff value of SWE Emax. In the combined diagnosis of SWE, FNA and BRAF, firstly, the nodules with BRAF gene mutation were included in the positive ones, secondly, the nodules with benign and malignant FNA were included in the FNA + SWE or FNA + SWE + BRAF negative and positive ones respectively, finally, for FNA uncertain nodules: those whose SWE Emax were less than or equal to the cutoff value were included in FNA + SWE or FNA + SWE + BRAF negative ones, and those whose SWE Emax were greater than the cutoff value were included in positive ones. The diagnostic efficacy of SWE, FNA, SWE + FNA, FNA + BRAF and their combination in ACR TI-RADS 4 and 5 thyroid nodules were compared. The ROC curve showed that the best cutoff value of SWE Emax was 40.9 kpa, and the area under ROC curve (AUC) was 0.842 (0.800∼0.885). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SWE were 76.3% (270/354), 75.5% (80/106) and 76.1% (350/460), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNA were 58.2% (206/354), 88.7% (94/106) and 65.2(300/460), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNA + BRAF were 95.5% (338/354), 88.7% (94/106) and 93.9% (432/460), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SWE + FNA were 85.9% (304/354), 98.1% (104/106) and 88.7% (408/460), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SWE + FNA + BRAF were 98.3% (348/354), 98.1% (104/106) and 98.3% (452/460), respectively. For the diagnostic accuracy, SWE + FNA + BRAF > FNA + BRAF > FNA + SWE > SWE > FNA, the difference was statistically significant (all P > 0.05). For ACR TI-RADS 4 and 5 thyroid nodules, SWE and FNA have high diagnostic efficiency. For the diagnostic accuracy, FNA + BRAF is better than FNA + SWE. FNA combination with BRAF gene detection further improves the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of FNA. The combined application of the three is the best.

Efficacy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous fine needle aspiration and biopsy for malignant pulmonary lesions

Background: CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core biopsy (CB) are commonly used to characterise lung lesions. There is conflicting information on which method is superior and wide variation in reported complication rates. Our objectives were to establish the efficacy and safety of percutaneous CT-guided FNA and CB in the diagnosis of malignant lung lesions. Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous FNA and/or CB for lung parenchymal lesions at Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, from January 2013 to December 2020. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Efficacy was determined by the adequacy of samples, sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy. Safety was assessed using the incidence of complications. Results: A total of 326 patients underwent both FNA and CB, and 49 underwent FNA alone. Adequate samples were obtained in 82.9% of FNA cases and 95.7% of CB cases. Considering biopsy as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of FNA for malignancy were 95.19%, 80% and 91.27%, respectively. Kappa agreement between the two methods was substantial (0.767). Pneumothorax was the only complication observed, and was seen in 31 patients (8.2%), of which only one required chest tube drainage. The incidence of pneumothorax was significantly higher in patients with pre-existing lung disease such as COPD/emphysema (p value 0.000), patients with smaller lesions (p = 0.009), and deeper lesions from the pleura (p &lt;0.0001). Conclusions: FNA and CB are both safe and effective procedures. In the absence of an onsite cytopathologist, we recommend a combination of both techniques.

Comparison of preoperative diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration and core needle biopsy in parotid gland neoplasms

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) are two commonly used approaches for the diagnosis of suspected neoplastic parotid gland lesions. We aimed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of FNA and CNB performed with ultrasound guidance preoperatively for the diagnosis of parotid neoplasms. We retrospectively analysed the preoperative specimens of 113 patients (66 FNA, 47 CNB) who underwent surgical excision at our institute between 2014 and 2017. Patient selection was based on lesion type and dimension, preliminary and final pathology, imaging characteristics, clinical course, and treatment data for accurate statistical analysis. The final diagnosis was based on surgery in all of the patients. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of FNA and CNB regarding the correct tissue-specific diagnosis of benign and malignant tumours. The recurrence and complication rates were analysed to determine the safety of each technique. Among the 113 patients, the average follow-up period was 65.4 (50-88) months. Seventy-one patients (62.8%) were males, and the median age was 50years. The most common type of surgery was superficial parotidectomy (83.2%), and the median tumour size was 30.0mm. Pleomorphic adenoma was the most frequent neoplasm. The diagnostic rates of preoperative pathological evaluation of FNA and CNB samples were 68.2% and 91.5%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of FNA for detecting malignant lesions were 40, 100, and 100%, respectively, and those of CNB were 100, 100, and 100%, respectively. Only one complication occurred (haematoma) in the biopsy area after CNB. No recurrences were seen after CNB and FNA during the follow-up period. Our findings suggest that the diagnostic ability, sensitivity, and specificity of CNB are excellent compared with those of FNA. The only disadvantage of CNB is the need for experienced staff and good-quality equipment. The complication rates of each technique are very low, and the risk of tumour tract seeding is controversial. CNB should be considered the technique of choice when a nodule is detected in the parotid glands.

Diagnostic efficacy cell block method of transthoracic fine needle aspiration in diagnosis of lung cancer

BackgroundLung cancer is still the main cause of cancer deaths. The high lung cancer mortality rate is caused by a diagnosis factor or therapy selection. The cell block cytology technique using fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples can provide immunocytochemical material that plays an important role in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer subtypes and in determining immunotherapy administration. This study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of transthoracic FNA (TTFNA) cell block cytology in comparison with bronchial washing smears and TTFNA smears in diagnosing lung cancer. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional diagnostic study involving 26 subjects. All subjects had undergone bronchial washing and CT scan-guided fine needle aspiration followed by cell block preparation. Both direct FNA smears and cell blocks are useful in the diagnostic work-up of patients. Comparative statistical analysis of TTFNA cell block versus bronchial washing smear and TTFNA smear cytology was carried out using the McNemar test. ResultsLung cancer was found in 15 patients (57.7%) using the TTFNA cell block technique. The sensitivity and specificity of the TTFNA cell block technique were 85.7% and 75%, respectively. There was no difference in the positivity value between TTFNA cell block technique of bronchial wash smear technique, and TTFNA smear on lung cancer diagnosis (p&gt;0.05). ConclusionsTransthoracic fine-needle aspiration in combination with the cell block technique has good sensitivity and specificity. The TTFNA can be used for immunocytochemical examinations in lung cancer diagnosis and therapy. This approach is valuable for providing individualized treatment and prognostic evaluations.

Accuracy, predictability and prognostic implications of fine‐needle aspiration biopsy for parotid gland tumours: A retrospective case series

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the precision and utility of fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) in differentiating between benign and malignant parotid tumours, and the implications of FNA results on management and outcomes.DesignRetrospective case series.SettingTertiary medical centre.ParticipantsAll adults who underwent preoperative FNA, followed by postoperative histological examination, between 1986 and 2014.Main outcome measuresDifferences in clinical management and outcomes of patients with parotid masses in light of FNA results.ResultsWe analysed 505 samples from 485 patients. According to histopathological results, preoperative FNA successfully identified benign tumours in 89% of the cases (362/405) and only 59% of malignant tumours (59/100). Overall sensitivity and specificity of FNA in distinguishing between different subtypes of benign lesions were 80% and 99%, respectively, whereas positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 85% and 98%. Moreover, malignant lesions subtyping had high false‐positive and false‐negative rates with sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of 44%, 100%, 75% and 99%, respectively. Additionally, when FNA falsely classified malignant tumours as benign, surgeries were inappropriately delayed and the durations of surgeries and hospitalisations were shorter, compared to true malignant FNA results. Interestingly, survival was not affected in falsely benign lesions that were mostly low‐grade, conversely non‐diagnostic FNA for malignant tumours resulted in decreased survival.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the limitations of FNA as a decision‐making tool in preoperative evaluation of parotid masses. Clinicians should take into account that FNA is inaccurate for identifying specific subtypes of malignant lesions, which may eventually delay treatment and influence outcome.

Role of fine needle aspiration in malignant parotid tumors at a single-center experience: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundParotid gland tumors are mostly benign with good prognosis. On the other hand, malignant tumors of the parotid gland often have poor prognosis and metastasize. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most common cancer in the parotid gland accounting for nearly 40–50% of the cases. Therefore, it is important to define the role of fine needle aspiration in differentiating between different types of parotid malignancies. MethodThis is a retrospective chart review study that was done on 49 consecutive patients who underwent parotid surgeries in King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between Jan 2003 and Feb 2020. The records of 49 patients were obtained, fine needle aspiration and pathology reports were reviewed to define the role of fine needle aspiration in diagnosing malignant parotid tumors by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. ResultsRetrospective analysis of 39 cases revealed that there was one case which was diagnosed for cancer was missed by fine needle aspiration. Meanwhile, six cases were diagnosed as malignant lesions using both fine needle aspiration and histopathology. Furthermore, 30 cases were determined benign based on fine needle aspiration and histopathology. The sensitivity of fine needle aspiration for detecting malignancy was 85.7%, specificity was 93.8%. positive predictive value of 75% and negative predictive value of 96.7%. ConclusionFine needle aspiration is highly sensitive and specific for parotid tumors. We support the role of pre-operative FNA for all parotid tumors as its accurate in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions.

Correlation between fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathological examination in thyroid swellings-a pilot study

Background: Thyroid swellings are an enigma that necessitates either, a partial thyroidectomy and a tissue diagnosis to be followed by completion surgery or straightaway a radical intervention. A preoperative presumptive diagnosis of a thyroid swelling, solitary or otherwise is correlated with the post-surgical histopathological finding in the present study.Methods: 30 patients of thyroid nodules were selected from the head-neck tumour clinic of Dayanand medical college hospital, Ludhiana. Pre-operative fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed and subjects taken for thyroidectomy, partial or total as the case maybe.Results: There were 20 (66.6%) females in the age group 25-65 years and 10 males (33.3%) 19-50 years with thyroid nodules. 86.6%, 26 patients were of follicular adenoma, 10% 3 patients of papillary carcinoma and 3.33% 1 patient of follicular carcinoma. No case in this study was reported as medullary carcinoma. In the cytological diagnosis of follicular neoplasm in 5 cases, 3 were diagnosed as thyroid adenoma, 2 were finally found to be papillary carcinoma. Overall sensitivity of fine needle aspiration was 40%. There was 84.6% agreement in follicular adenoma; 33% in papillary carcinoma and 100% in follicular carcinoma, and overall accuracy was 85.7%.Conclusion: FNAC is an ideal preoperative investigative modality in thyroid swellings with overall accuracy of 85 % and can differentiate preoperatively a benign from a malignant thyromegaly; and thereby plan extent of surgery, with or without a neck dissection, Maximum cases of follicular adenoma could be easily diagnosed with this aspiration modality.

The Role of Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration of Thyroid Bed Lesions and Clinical Predictors of Recurrent Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid bed lesions after thyroidectomy is challenging to evaluate. We determined the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predicative value of thyroid bed FNA (TB-FNA) for detecting local recurrence of thyroid carcinoma. A retrospective search was conducted for TB-FNAs from patients with a prior thyroid resection and subsequent ipsilateral FNA from the thyroid bed. Clinical and pathologic data were retrieved from the medical record. Patients were ultimately classified as "malignant" or "benign" based on the worst pathology identified and follow-up available. Forty-two cases were included, and the prior thyroidectomy pathology included 36 papillary thyroid carcinomas, two follicular carcinomas, one medullary carcinoma, and three benign cases. TB-FNA was adequate in 38 (90.5%) cases and interpreted as positive for malignancy (n = 22; 52.4%), suspicious for follicular neoplasm (n = 3; 7.1%), atypia of unknown significance (n = 2; 4.8%), and benign (n = 10; 23.8%). Twenty-seven patients had histologic follow-up, and 24 (87.5%) showed recurrent malignancy. The cytology sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 96%, 100%, 100%, 92.3%, and 97.4%, respectively, for identification of recurrent malignancy. Most TB-FNA cases ultimately were diagnosed with malignancy on follow-up, although there may be sampling bias, as not all clinically benign cases had surgical follow-up.

Evaluation of endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration versus fine-needle biopsy and impact of rapid on-site evaluation for pancreatic masses.

Background and study aims Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) is traditionally considered a first-line strategy for diagnosing pancreatic lesions; however, given less than ideal accuracy rates, fine-needle biopsy (FNB) has been recently developed to yield histological tissue. The aim of this study was to compare diagnostic yield and safety between EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB in sampling of pancreatic masses. Patients and methods This was a multicenter retrospective study to evaluate efficacy and safety of EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB for pancreatic lesions. Baseline characteristics including sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, were evaluated. Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) diagnostic adequacy, cell-block accuracy, and adverse events were analyzed. Subgroup analyses comparing FNA versus FNB route of tissue acquisition and comparison between methods with or without ROSE were performed. Multivariable logistic regression was also performed. Results A total of 574 patients (n = 194 FNA, n = 380 FNB) were included. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FNB versus FNA were similar [(89.09 % versus 85.62 %; P = 0.229), (98.04 % versus 96.88 %; P = 0.387), and 90.29 % versus 87.50 %; P = 0.307)]. Number of passes for ROSE adequacy and cell-block accuracy were comparable for FNA versus FNB [(3.06 ± 1.62 versus 3.04 ± 1.88; P = 0.11) and (3.08 ± 1.63 versus 3.35 ± 2.02; P = 0.137)]. FNA + ROSE was superior to FNA alone regarding sensitivity and accuracy [91.96 % versus 70.83 %; P < 0.001) and (91.80 % versus 80.28 %; P = 0.020)]. Sensitivity of FNB + ROSE and FNB alone were superior to FNA alone [(92.17 % versus 70.83 %; P < 0.001) and (87.44 % versus 70.83 %; P < 0.001)]. There was no difference in sensitivity though improved accuracy between FNA + ROSE versus FNB alone [(91.96 % versus 87.44 %; P = 0.193) and (91.80 % versus 80.72 %; P = 0.006)]. FNB + ROSE was more accurate than FNA + ROSE (93.13 % versus 91.80 % ; P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed ROSE was a significant predictor of accuracy [OR 2.60 (95 % CI, 1.41–4.79)]. One adverse event occurred after FNB resulting in patient death. Conclusion EUS-FNB allowed for more consistent cell-block evaluation as compared to EUS-FNA. EUS-FNA + ROSE was found to have a similar sensitivity to EUS-FNB alone suggesting a reduced need for ROSE as part of the standard algorithm of pancreatic sampling. While FNB alone produced similar diagnostic findings to EUS-FNA + ROSE, FNB + ROSE still was noted to increase diagnostic yield. This finding may favor a unique role for FNB + ROSE, suggesting it may be useful in cases when previous EUS-guided sampling may have been indeterminate.

Cytology of breast-lesions

Breast lesions are leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is an affordable, minimally invasive and rapid method. It is gaining importance as a preoperative procedure to distinguish benign and malignant breast lesions. Thus unnecessary invasive procedures can be avoided. This study is undertaken to explore utility and accuracy of FNA in various breast pathologies. 1) To study cytology of various breast lesions, 2) To correlate cytological diagnosis with histopathological diagnosis wherever possible, 3) To study sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNA in breast lesions A two year prospective study was carried out from November 2017 to November 2019 at Department of Pathology, JJM Medical College – Davangere. This study included patients with breast lesions referred for FNA. FNA was done. Cytomorphological features were studied. Cytomorphological diagnosis was correlated with histopathological diagnosis wherever possible.Out of 425 patients with suspected breast lesions, cyto-histo morphological correlation was possible in 331 cases. Cytology histology concordance was 94.4%. This study has sensitivity of 90.1%, specificity of 96.5% and accuracy of 94.1%.FNA is highly simple, safe and effective technique. It should be an essential component in preoperative diagnosis of breast lesions.

Correlation between Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Aspiration Combined with BRAF V600EDetection and Invasive Pathological Features of Papillary Thyroid Cancer

To analyze the potential associations of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration(FNA),BRAF V600E gene mutation detection,and the combination of these two techniques with the clinicopathological features of papillary thyroid cancer(PTC). Methods Patients with PTC confirmed by surgery from April 2016 to July 2017 were included in this study.The relationship between clinicopathological features and BRAF V600E mutation,FNA results,and the combination of them were explored. Results The sensitivity of FNA was 86.3%(227/263)and the mutation rate of BRAF V600E was 85.9%(226/263)in 263 patients with PTC.The mutation rate of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC)was 91.1%(153/168)and that of non-PTMC was 76.8%(73/95).A total of 225 patients underwent lymph node dissection.The lymph node metastasis rate was 35.6%(80/225),and it was 23.8%(34/143)in PTMC,56.1%(46/82)in non-PTMC;in addition,9.9%(26/263)of PTC patients had extracapsular invasion.BRAF V600E mutation rate was higher in patients with the following features:aged over 45 years(P=0.043);the tumor was FNA diagnosed as malignant or suspected malignant(P=0.011);the tumor had a maximum diameter of ≤1 cm(P=0.001);and the primary tumor was in stage T1(P=0.039);however,there was no significant difference in BRAF V600E mutation rate among patients with different sex,capsule invasion,or lymph node metastasis.The diagnostic sensitivity of FNA was not statistically different under different clinical and pathological characteristics.The clinicopathologic features of FNA and BRAF V600E double-positive patients were not significantly different from those of other patients. Conclusion FNA-confirmed malignancy,BRAF V600E gene mutation,and their double-positive results are not correlated with the invasive pathological features of PTC,and thus their roles in guiding an extended operation(or not)are limited.

Cytodiagnostic Sensitivity of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Is Decreased in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of fine needle aspiration (FNA) for the diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) in HIV-infected patients. Study Design: An electronic search was conducted to retrospectively identify patients diagnosed with HL who underwent FNA followed by confirmatory biopsy. FNAs were categorized as negative, atypical/suspicious/positive, or nondiagnostic. Diagnostic sensitivity in HIV+ and HIV– patients was statistically compared via Fisher’s exact test, with a p value <0.05 considered significant. Results: Thirty-six patients meeting inclusion criteria were identified (24 HIV– and 12 HIV+). Average age was 36.0 ± 11.5 and 36.5 ± 7.4 years (means ± SD) in HIV– and HIV+ patients, respectively. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1 in HIV– patients versus 3:1 in HIV+ patients. Among these 36 patients, a total of 42 FNAs were performed. Overall sensitivity of FNA was 66.7% (95% confidence interval: 52.4–80.9%). When stratified by HIV status, a statistically significant difference in FNA sensitivity was detected, as sen­sitivity was 84.6% (70.8–98.4%) in HIV– patients versus only 37.5% (13.8–61.2%) in HIV+ patients (p =0.003). Conclusion: The diagnostic sensitivity of FNA biopsy was significantly attenuated in the HIV+ cohort. In HIV-infected patients presenting with lymphadenopathy, increased clinical suspicion of HL is critical to avoid misdiagnosis.

The Effect of Fine needle aspiration on Detecting Malignancy in Thyroid Nodule.

Introduction The prevalence of thyroid nodules is 4-7% in adults. Although less than 5% of nodules in adults are malignant, most nodules are non-neoplastic or benign. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a diagnostic technique for evaluation of non-toxic nodules, which has been widely accepted. Its primary objective is the patient triage in order to identify those who need surgery and aid in the decision of the appropriate surgical procedures. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was conducted on 116 patients who underwent thyroidectomy in Semnan's Kowsar Hospital during 2011-2018 in Iran. The data were recorded before and after the surgery in the checklist. The data were compared and the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of FNA were calculated. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 18.0) and analyzed by Chi-Square test and Independent Samples test. Results The sensitivity of FNA was 96.9%; its specificity was 81.7%; its positive predictive value (PPV) was 73.8%; its negative predictive value (NPV) was 98%; and its diagnostic accuracy was 86.9%. For the nodules smaller than 4 cm, FNA was calculated with higher sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and diagnostic accuracy compared to nodules larger than 4 cm. Conclusion FNA is a reliable screening method for preoperative assessment that can accurately detect malignant cases from benign cases, especially if the size of the nodule is smaller than 4 cm.

Sensitivity of Fine-Needle Aspiration and Imaging Modalities in the Diagnosis of Low-Grade Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland.

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and imaging modalities for low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the parotid gland. Retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with low-grade MEC of the parotid gland following surgical excision between January 2010 and June 2018. Imaging from patients with MEC were randomly mixed with imaging from patients with benign pathology and reviewed in a blinded fashion. Main outcome measure was sensitivity. A total of 24 patients were confirmed to have had low-grade MEC on final pathology, with a total of 31 FNAs performed between them. Twelve of 31 FNAs were positive for low-grade MEC, with a sensitivity of 39%. A total of 27 imaging studies were reviewed, which included 16 patients with low-grade MEC and 11 patients with benign pathology. Of these 27 imaging studies, 10 were declared indeterminate. Of the remaining 17 imaging studies, 13 were reviewed as malignant (11 true positive and 2 false positive) and 4 as benign (4 true negative). Overall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sensitivity for low-grade MEC was 100% (9/9) with 95% CI (0.66-1.0) when considering indeterminate results as positive for malignancy. This study reaffirms that for low-grade MEC, sensitivity of FNA is poor. MRI provides an important diagnostic tool in the evaluation of salivary gland neoplasms, due to its increased sensitivity for low-grade MEC when considering indeterminate results as positive. This provides confidence in the diagnosis of benign tumors and allows appropriate counseling of all options to the patient, including observation. Imaging and low threshold of excision should be considered despite an inflammatory or benign FNA.