title: Safety of fine-needle aspiration in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE.: This study was to clarify the safety of fine-needle aspiration of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS.: Ninety consecutive patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (46 with single nodule, 44 with multiple nodules, all </=3cm) who had a comparative angiography performed within 50 days (median 16 days) after aspiration were included. RESULTS.: The angiographic detection of hepatocellular carcinoma was not influenced by the procedure of aspiration except in one (1.1%) with small arterioportal shunt. The newly developed nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma were not localized in the segment of aspirated nodule located. None of the new nodules was located along the needle tract. Patients with single nodule caused by hepatitis C had a significantly higher incidence of appearance of new nodule than those caused by hepatitis B (38.46% versus 4.35%, p=0.0159). Patients with multiple nodules had a significantly higher incidence of appearance of new nodule than patients with single nodule (60% versus 18.18%, p<0.005). These results indicated that the newly developed nodules were related to the disease process rather than the procedure of aspiration. CONCLUSIONS.: Fine-needle aspiration is a safe procedure in the collection of specimens for the diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung County 824, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chu-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zu-Yau
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wan-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Liang-Yen
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shinn-Cherng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-Yuh
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Jung-Fa
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang