title: Pitfalls of transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy.
abstract: Four cases are presented in whom transthoracic aspiration biopsy with the rotex needle provided a specific diagnosis, which, on thoracotomy was proved incomplete or wrong. Two cases of abscess were in fact excavated squamous cell carcinomas, one case of tuberculosis was in fact accompanied by a scar-adenocarcinoma, and a fourth case of supposed small cell carcinoma was found to be a muco-epidermoid carcinoma. In all cases, the final diagnosis after thoracotomy led to a change in therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pneumology, U.Z. Pellenberg, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demedts
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000473:pathology