title: Ultrasound guided fine-needle biopsy of mass lesions affecting the hepatobiliary tract.
abstract: Ultrasound guided fine-needle biopsy of mass lesions affecting the hepatobiliary tract in 67 patients is reported. A free-hand approach was used without a special biopsy transducer. All aspirates were sufficient and relevant. A correct cytologic diagnosis was reached in 91 per cent of the 57 malignant cases. In addition, malignancy was correctly suggested in 5 cases. In 33 per cent of the cases with unknown primary tumor, cytology determined the origin of the malignancy. No complications occurred.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000473:pathology; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography