Transthoracic aspiration cytology of pulmonary lesions.

In a seven-year period (1974 to 1981), 1,390 patients had transthoracic aspiration biopsy for radiologically suspected pulmonary neoplasms. Of the 1,209 proven malignant neoplasms, 1,059 (88%) were cytologically diagnosed as malignant. There were only two (0.2%) false-positive diagnoses both due to florid bronchoalveolar hyperplasia associated with granulomatous disease. Cytologic and histologic correlations for primary lung cancers were 92% for adenocarcinoma, 87% for oat cell (small cell) carcinoma, and 83% for epidermoid carcinoma. Characteristic cytomorphology of pulmonary carcinomas, some metastatic neoplasms, and inflammatory lesions are described.