title: Computed tomography guided fine needle aspiration cytology of mass lesions of lung: Our experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computerized tomography (CT) guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of lung lesions has rapidly emerged as a less-invasive, cheap, rapid and fairly accurate diagnostic aid in lung lesions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CT-guided FNAC in the diagnosis of pulmonary mass lesions (both benign and malignant) and to determine the complication rate of this procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an institution-based, prospective study on 127 patients who presented with pulmonary mass lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  After proper consent was obtained, CT-guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration was done and their diagnoses were confirmed by appropriate methods. The results were analyzed statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 127 cases selected for the study, 59.8% were males while the rest were females. Cough was the most common symptom present in 71.2% cases, followed by weight loss (62.4%). 21.2% cases were cytologically benign. Adenocarcinoma (54.2%) was the commonest malignant tumor. FNAC provided at least 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity in diagnosing lung tumors. Among the benign lesions, specific diagnoses were obtained in 48.1% cases. Thus, altogether a specific diagnosis was obtained in 109 of 127 cases, i.e. 85.8%. No major complication was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT-guided FNAC is an extremely valuable and fairly accurate diagnostic aid of intrathoracic mass lesions, with a reasonable rate of complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, North Bengal Medical College, Sushrutanagar, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Mimi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gangopadhyay
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chakrabarti
authors.forename: Nilanjana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giri