title: Computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy of intrapulmonary lesions: utility of a liquid-based cytopreparatory technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if a ThinPrep processor (Cytyc Corporation, Boxborough, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) could be used to improve diagnostic accuracy in the absence of a cytopathologist at the time of computed tomography-guided (CT-guided) transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) of the lung.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two patients (59 men and 33 women who were 26-85 years old) underwent CT-guided TNAB. The aspirated specimen was prepared with the ThinPrep cytopreparatory technique for cytologic evaluation. The final histologic diagnoses were based on the pathologic material obtained from a cutting needle biopsy, bronchoscopic biopsy and surgical excision and the on clinical follow-up (mean, 12 months). On this basis, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of TNAB for malignant lesions were calculated by comparing the diagnoses obtained from percutaneous transthoracic needle aspiration with the final diagnoses using a chi2 test. was made, 56 (60.9%) were malignant and 36 (39.1%) benign. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the diagnosis of malignancy were 92%, 87.5%, 100%, 100% and 80%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT-guided TNAB using ThinPrep provided excellent diagnostic accuracy and was useful because this technique shows less air-drying artifact and can separate cells and blood clots on the slides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Chonbuk National University College of Medicine, Jeonbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gong Yong
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Myoung Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*