Adequacy of sonographic guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in abdominal lesions highlighting on malignant pathologies – A 10 year experience

Background

To study on the adequacy of ultrasound guided FNACs in abdominal lesions and to evaluate and compare the adequate samples for malignant versus benign lesions and primary versus metastatic lesions in abdominal FNACs.

Materials and methods

This retrospective study included 854 cases of abdominal ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) performed from January 2007 to Dec 2016. 22–23 G needle with disposable 10 cc syringes were used. Patients with severe coagulopathy were excluded from the procedure. Aspirated material were reported by experienced cytopathologists.

Results

The mean age was 39.5 years, with M:F of 1.25:1. The sample adequacy in male is 77.68% and female is 72.56%. The overall sample adequacy was 644 out of 854 (75.4%), which however ranges from 60% to 100% according to decades. The commonest site aspirated were lymph nodes (415/854 = 48.59%) followed by liver (274/854 = 32.08%). There is highly dependent relationship between adequacy of sample and patients age (Pearson chi square value - 58.594, Significance 8.78758E-10). High degree of positive correlation (correlation 0.906935) also noted between cytological adequacy and patients age. There is also high degree of positive correlation between malignancy and age of the patient (correlation −0.895332).

Conclusion

Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology is very versatile, simple, economical and safe technique with potential high diagnostic yield.