Fine-needle aspiration biopsy for breast lesions: a comparison between two devices for obtaining cytological samples.
OBJECTIVE
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy has been accepted worldwide for breast lesions. However, some questions remain, including the appropriateness of the puncture method. The objective of this work was to compare aspirates obtained by the auto-vacuum device and by the syringe pistol holder.


METHODS
Randomized trial for validation of diagnostic method, at Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Goiás and Hospital Araújo Jorge, Goiânia.


METHODS
351 patients presenting breast lumps underwent fine-needle aspiration biopsy, either with the auto-vacuum device or the syringe pistol holder. A single cytopathologist analyzed all of the cytology slides. The rates of insufficient material, cellularity, cell distortion and background hemorrhage were evaluated.


RESULTS
The percentages of insufficient material were 16% and 22% (p = 0.18), for the auto-vacuum and pistol aspirates, respectively. Good cellularity was seen in 34% of auto-vacuum and 29% of pistol samples (p = 0.4). Cell distortion was seen in 31 and 26 cases, respectively (p = 0.7). Background hemorrhage occurred in 63 (35%) and 54 cases (31%) (p = 0.2), for auto-vacuum and pistol. The sensitivity was 88% and 86%; specificity 99% and 100%, positive predictive value 96% and 100%, negative predictive value 96% and 95% and total accuracy 76% and 75% for the auto-vacuum and pistol, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained from the two fine-needle aspiration biopsy methods were equivalent. Therefore, the auto-vacuum device is a good option for obtaining aspirates for cytology.
Freitas Júnior
Ruffo
R
Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Alameda das Rosas 533-Setor Oeste, CEP 74110-060 Goiânia, GO, Brazil. ruffo@medicina.ufg.br
Moreira
Marise Amaral Rebouças
MA
Souza
Gustavo Antônio de
GA
Hardy
Ellen
E
Paulinelli
Regis Resende
RR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity