title: Fine needle aspiration of thoracic lesions: experience in a Brazilian cancer center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is a retrospective analysis of cytological specimens of fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thoracic lesions under computed tomography guidance, over a 2-year period to assess the diagnostic performance of cytology method.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 134 aspirations were performed using a 22 and 20 gauge needle (spinal long). The cytological diagnosis was achieved in 126 cases (94%). The histopathological findings were correlationed in order observe the cytologic diagnosis performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cases were obtained from patients examined at A. C. Camargo Hospital ambulatory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 89 cases of malignant lesions (66.4%), 27 benign lesions (20%) and 10 cases (7.5%) of suspected for malignancy. The correlation with histopathology was possible in cases with previous histopathological exams and with tissue diagnosis after puncture. The correlation between FNA and histology showed an overall sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 100%, false-negative rate of 20% and no false-positive results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that FNA is a sensitive and highly specific technique for the diagnosis of thoracic neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Granero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chojniak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longatto Filho
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001938:Brazil; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*