Pulmonary fine needle aspiration biopsy. Assessing the negative diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the significance of the "negative for malignancy" category when applied to pulmonary transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).


METHODS
Transthoracic lung FNABs diagnosed as "negative for malignancy" were identified from the files of Barnes-Jewish Hospital's South and North Campus over a period of five and nine years, respectively. Histologic correlation and clinical follow-up were obtained.


RESULTS
Of the 1,181 lung FNABs performed during the study period, 108 cases (9%) had a negative cytologic diagnosis. Histologic correlation was available in 46 cases (43%), of which 23 cases had benign histologic findings, and 19 cases were malignant. Thirty-five of the 62 cases without histologic correlation had clinical follow-up consistent with a benign process.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the histologic correlation and clinical data available, the negative predictive value was 77%. Inadequate sampling was responsible for all false negative cytologic diagnoses in this series.
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Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110-1093, USA.
Dávila
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests