title: Ultrasound-guided aspiration cytology of the spleen.
abstract: The cytologic results of ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsies (FNB) of the spleen in 42 patients were analyzed retrospectively. A focal lesion was punctured in 28 of them, splenomegaly in 12, and an enlarged accessory spleen in 2. Sufficient material was aspirated for cytologic analysis in 41 (97.6%) cases. A final diagnosis of malignancy was made in 16 (38%), and a benign condition diagnosed in 26 (62%) patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the method for differentiating malignancy from benign conditions were 68.8%, 100%, and 88.1%, respectively. No complications occurred. We conclude that ultrasound-guided FNB is a safe, highly specific, but relatively insensitive method of defining splenic pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siniluoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Päivänsalo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tikkakoski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apaja-Sarkkinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography