Use of fine needle aspiration biopsy in radiofrequency ablation.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the utility of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of suspected metastatic tumors at various sites.


METHODS
Eighteen patients referred for RFA underwent 21 aspirations prior to the procedure. A radiologist performed the FNAB and RFA with radiographic guidance. On-site preliminary evaluation of Diff-Quik-stained smears were followed with Papanicolaou staining. A final diagnosis was rendered and compared to the preliminary diagnosis.


RESULTS
Liver was aspirated in 17 cases, lung in 3 cases and pubic bone in 1. Fifteen aspirates were deemed on site as positive or suspicious for malignancy. A preliminary, on-site diagnosis of benign was given in one case and adequate with deferment for review of all slides in four others. One FNAB was unsatisfactory. All but one (patient with benign diagnosis) then immediately proceeded to RFA of the lesion. After review of additional slides, the final diagnosis confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma in 16, hepatocellular carcinoma in 2 and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in 1. One FNAB yielded benign hepatocytes, and one was unsatisfactory.


CONCLUSIONS
FNAB is an accurate, safe and rapid method of confirming disease in patients just prior to undergoing RFA.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed