title: Use and usefulness of adrenal core biopsies without FNA or on-site evaluation of adequacy: a study of 204 cases for a 12-year period.
abstract: While several studies have assessed the efficacy of adrenal fine-needle aspiration, there are few data regarding adrenal tissue core biopsies. We performed a retrospective study, for a 12-year period, of 204 percutaneous adrenal core biopsy specimens. A core was the only specimen obtained, and on-site evaluation was not used. About half of the cases (104/204) were diagnosed as metastatic carcinoma, with lung as the most common origin (78/204). A specificity and sensitivity of 100% for benign vs malignant was calculated, with a specificity of 88% and sensitivity of 86% for specific diagnoses. Diagnostic and sampling errors were identified. False-negatives were limited to biopsies using 20-gauge needles. Cases with a clinical history provided had specific diagnoses made at a slightly higher frequency compared with cases without an available history. Immunohistochemical workup was performed in more than half of the cases; specific diagnoses were made more frequently than in cases without immunostains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Nicolas W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Villelli
authors.forename: M Kishore
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jayanti
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Zynger
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor