Outcome of 51 nonmalignant nodules in the liver: usefulness of aspiration cytology for diagnosis of dysplastic nodules.
Pathologic diagnostic criteria for intrahepatic nonmalignant nodules using needle biopsy are controversial. To evaluate the cytodiagnostic criteria for dysplastic nodules using aspiration biopsy, a follow-up study of nonmalignant nodules was performed. Fifty-one intrahepatic nodules diagnosed histologically and cytologically as nonmalignant using an aspiration biopsy in 39 patients were followed up without treatment. The outcomes of the nodules were investigated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox's multivariate analysis. The cumulative rates of development to HCC at the 2nd year were 0%, 18%, and 53% in the non-dysplastic nodules, the low-grade dysplastic nodules, and the high-grade dysplastic nodules, respectively; and significant differences were seen among them (P= 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that cytologic grade was a significant risk factor for development to HCC (P=0.020). In conclusion, aspiration cytology was useful for diagnosis of the dysplastic nodules to predict risks of development to HCC.
Kaji
I
I
Dept of Internal Medicine, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital, Japan.
Kasugai
H
H
Takenaka
A
A
Ishikawa
H
H
Inoue
A
A
Iishi
H
H
Ishiguro
S
S
Tatsuta
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011230:Precancerous Conditions; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome