Fine needle aspiration of the testis. Correlation between cytology and histology.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the diagnostic value, reliability, safety and patient discomfort of testicular fine needle aspiration (FNA) as a cytologic sampling technique. All cases were divided into three groups: group A (control group), 15 patients with normal testes undergoing orchiectomy for prostatic carcinoma treatment; group B, 17 cases who had presented with oligoazoospermia for evaluation of male infertility; group C, 20 cases who had presented mainly with scrotal swelling with or without pain. The patients' ages ranged between 22 and 83 years. Older patients entered group A. Younger patients entered group B. A wide range in age occurred in group C.


METHODS
Fine needle aspirates from 98 testes in 52 patients, 46 bilaterally punctured, were assessed.


RESULTS
All fine needle results on group A and most on B and C were correlated with histologic results of biopsy specimens. In 88.5% of cases an excellent correlation was found between the results of the two methods, and the cytologic diagnosis was absolutely precise. The specificity and sensitivity of the method were 100% in this series.


CONCLUSIONS
The procedure was well tolerated, reliable and simple, with no serious complications. Testicular FNA is a useful and safe investigative modality in the evaluation of testicular function and disease.
Rammou-Kinia
R
R
Department of Cytology, Tzanio General Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
Anagnostopoulou
I
I
Tassiopoulos
F
F
Lykourinas
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D003585:Cell Biology; D006653:Histology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000473:pathology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*