title: A review of the fine-needle aspiration cytology findings in human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are subject to infections and neoplasms, which frequently result in palpable or radiologically identified masses. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) offers a rapid, simple, and cost effective approach for diagnosis of these masses. During a 2-yr period, 396 aspirates were performed on 362 HIV-infected patients within the LAC-USC Medical Center. Adequate material was obtained from 84% of the FNA, allowing the etiology of the mass to be determined in 90% of the cases by means of a combination of cytologic, microbiologic, and immunocytochemical procedures. Significant pathologic processes identified in these patients by means of FNA included reactive lymphoid proliferations (35%), abnormal lymphoid proliferations (12%), infections (12.5%), cystic (5.5%) and inflammatory processes (5%), nonlymphoid malignancies (4%), and salivary gland pathology (1%). We conclude that FNA is an appropriate initial diagnostic procedure in HIV positive patients presenting with mass lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Strigle
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Rarick
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cosgrove
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies