Aspiration Cytology of Deep-Seated Masses

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of deep-seated organs is an accurate, safe, quick, and cost-effective preoperative investigation that has an important role in patients’ clinical management; it may save the patient a major operation like laparotomy or thoracotomy and provides a reliable report for starting treatment by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, if clinically indicated. This chapter covers, the FNA cytology of deep-seated masses, with emphasis on the related immunocytochemistry as an adjunctive tool for help in the diagnosis by the use of a practical and didactic approach. Numerous photomicrographs illustrate the text that covers thoracic, abdominal, pelvic, and retroperitoneal organs, as well as the central nervous system.