title: Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology of malignant gallbladder masses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the accuracy and reliability of ultrasound (US)-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) over blind aspiration in gallbladder masses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed FNAC in 107 cases of carcinoma of the gallbladder; blind aspiration was done in 71 patients (66.36%) and US-guided aspiration in 36 (33.64%). In cases where FNAC after the first aspiration showed the aspirate to be inflammatory, acellular (inconclusive) or suspicious for malignancy, FNAC was repeated under US guidance. Diagnosis was later confirmed by histopathology in all cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the first aspiration, gallbladder malignancy was confirmed in 77 (71.96%) cases. Of these 77 cases, 34 underwent US-guided aspiration, and the remaining 43 underwent blind aspiration. Cases with inflammatory or acellular (inconclusive) aspirates or that were suspicious for malignancy after the first aspiration underwent a second aspiration under ultrasonic guidance. On the second aspiration of 30 cases, 16 (53.33%) proved to be of adenocarcinoma, 7 (23.33%) were suspicious for malignancy, 5 (16.66%) were inflammatory, and 2 (6.66%) were acellular. Diagnosis was later confirmed by histopathology in all cases. US-guided FNAC had diagnostic accuracy of 95% as compared to 60% on blind aspiration. There was no major complication or needle tract recurrence of the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  US-guided FNAC is safe, rapid, reliable, cost-effective and accurate in diagnosing gallbladder carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Aryya
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Verma
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods