title: Evaluation of digitally guided fine needle aspiration cytology versus fine needle core biopsy for the diagnosis of recurrent rectal cancer.
abstract: The clinical value of transrectally digitally guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was compared with fine needle core biopsy (FNCB), FNAC was performed with a 21G and FNCB with a 18G needle. No prophylactic antibiotic was given. In the first part of the study 100 patients (20 primary/80 recurrences, 17 benign/83 cancers) were studied by both techniques. In 93% a definite diagnoses was given in FNAC specimen versus 96% of the FNCB cases. There were no false positive cancer diagnoses. The sensitivity of the FNAC was 88% versus 68% of the FNCB specimens. This difference was statistically significant. In a second part of the study 142 specimens of recurrent cases were examined by FNAC including 78 of the patients of the first part. The negative predictive value was around 60% for FNAC versus around 40% for FNCB. Both techniques were without any major complications. For the diagnosis of a palpable recurrent pelvic tumour a digitally guided puncture may be tried before proceeding to CT or US guided examination. In our hands FNAC seems preferable to FNCB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Wiig
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Tveit
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Giercksky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity