[Comparative study of the data of fine-needle aspiration biopsy and echographic aspects of hepatic tumors as a function of the circumstances of discovery. Apropos of 206 patients].

This study was carried out in order to compare the accuracy of ultrasound and ultrasonically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy in screening for tumoral hepatic syndrome in 206 patients. According to their different clinical presentations, patients were divided into 4 groups: 1: Documented cancer, 2: Hepatic cirrhosis, 3: Fortuitous ultrasonic detection, 4: Clinical hepatic tumor. Cytologic findings were divided into 4 types: benign, primary malignant tumor, secondary malignant tumor (with or without etiologic orientation) non significant result. The ultrasonic and cytologic results were retrospectively compared to definitive diagnosis which was known in 199 patients. No early or delayed complications related to fine-needle aspiration biopsy were recorded. Ultrasonic imaging globally suggested the final diagnosis in 116 patients (diagnostic precision: 58.2 percent) while the cytologic result corresponded to final diagnosis in 183 patients (diagnostic precision: 92.5 percent). Improved results by fine-needle aspiration biopsy with regard to ultrasound was recorded in each group, particularly in group 3; its diagnostic sensitivity was 92 percent for malignant lesions with 100 percent specificity and an excellent value in discriminating between their primitive or secondary nature. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy gave an exact etiologic orientation in half of cases with metastasis and helped to discover the primitive tumor in some patients when this was not known previously. We conclude that fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a simple, moderately invasive and accurate procedure in the diagnosis of hepatic lesions. As ultrasound alone is not suggestive, especially in the case of a fortuitous ultrasonic detection, fine-needle aspiration biopsy improves diagnostic precision.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)