Needle aspiration biopsy: a critical appraisal. Eight years and 3,267 specimens later.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was used to diagnose lesions from the breast, subcutaneous nodules and lymph nodes, prostate, deep masses, lung, and pancreas. Over an eight-year period, 3,267 specimens were examined. The biopsy specimens were taken with 18- to 22-gauge disposable needles with attached syringes, were fixed immediately, and were stained according to the method of Papanicolaou. Frequently, the aspiration was done as an office procedure. The method was essentially complication-free. The biopsy specimen was easy to interpret, and the procedure had an overall accuracy of approximately 90%. It should be used by all clinicians, especially on the initial visit of the patient.