title: Image-guided fine needle cytology with aspiration versus non-aspiration in retroperitoneal masses: is aspiration necessary?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although using fine needle cytology with aspiration (FNC-A) for establishing diagnoses in the retroperitoneal region has shown promise, there is scant literature supporting a role of non-aspiration cytology (FNC-NA) for this region. We assessed the accuracy and reliability of FNC-A and FNC-NA as tools for preoperative diagnosis of retroperitoneal masses and compared the results of both techniques with each other and with histopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven patients with retroperitoneal masses were subjected to FNC-A and FNC-NA. Smears were stained with May-Grunwald Giemsa and hematoxylin and eosin stain. An individual slide was objectively analysed using a point scoring system to enable comparison between FNC-A and FNC-NA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By FNC-A, 91.7% accuracy was obtained in cases of retroperitoneal lymph node lesions followed by renal masses (83.3%). The diagnostic accuracy of other sites by FNC-A varied from 75.0%-81.9%. By FNC-NA, 93.4% diagnostically accurate results were obtained in the kidney, followed by 75.0% in adrenal masses. The diagnostic accuracy of other sites by FNC-NA varied from 66.7%-72.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although both techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages, FNC-NA may be a more efficient adjuvant method of sampling in retroperitoneal lesions.
authors: Department of Pathology, B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur, India.
authors: Rajiv Kumar
authors: RK
authors: Misra
authors: Department of Pathology, B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur, India.
authors: Shaila
authors: S
authors: Mitra
authors: Department of Radiology, B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur, India.
authors: Rishav Kumar
authors: RK
authors: Jain
authors: Department of Pathology, B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur, India.
authors: Shilpa
authors: S
authors: Vahikar
authors: Department of Pathology, B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur, India.
authors: Archana
authors: A
authors: Bundela
authors: Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors: Purak
authors: P
authors: Misra
keywords: Fine needle aspiration; Non-aspiration technique; Retroperitoneal masses