title: Diagnostic utility of freehand core-needle biopsy in head and neck masses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review our experience with freehand core-needle biopsy in the assessment of unexplained head and neck masses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 770 patients with head and neck masses (referred over a 22-month period) were evaluated. A retrospective chart review was performed on 53 of those patients who underwent core-needle biopsy for an unexplained mass.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correct sampling of the target tissue was achieved in all 53 patients (100 per cent) using a freehand core-needle biopsy technique. The diagnostic accuracy for providing adequate tissue samples for histopathological diagnosis was 96 per cent; the test sensitivity was 92 per cent. Four patients (7 per cent) required open surgical biopsy prior to commencing definitive treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Out-patient freehand core-needle biopsy can be carried out safely on select patients with head and neck masses, and provides high quality histopathology specimens with high diagnostic utility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bowyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smillie
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ganly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult