Utility of Fine-Needle Aspiration As a Diagnostic Technique in Lymphoma

Purpose To evaluate, from a clinician's perspective, the sensitivity and specificity of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) as a technique for the diagnosis of lymphoma. Patients and Methods Medical records of 470 new patients seen in one lymphoma specialist's clinic from January 1998 through December 2002 were reviewed. Ninety-nine (21%) of the 470 patients underwent a total of 115 FNA procedures, which were assessed by more than 70 different pathologists in 32 different pathology departments. Subsequent excisional biopsies were performed in 67 of these patients and interpreted by a single hematopathology group without independent review. Results Of 115 FNA procedures, 93 were completed for the initial evaluation of lymphoma and 22 were done for assessment of relapsed disease. Of the 93 FNA attempts at initial diagnosis, only 27 (29%) were given a specific and complete histologic diagnosis using an accepted classification system (Working Formulation, Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasm...