Thin needle aspiration biopsy of thoracic lesions: impact on hospital charges and patterns of patient care.

All patients who were admitted over a two-year period for evaluation of undiagnosed intrathoracic masses were selected for study. We assessed the impact of thin needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) of thoracic lesions on actual hospital charges and patterns of patient care. Findings of TNAB reduced the need for diagnostic thoracotomy, shortened the time from admission to diagnosis, reduced the total number of thoracotomies, shortened the length of the hospital stay, and resulted in a significantly reduced average and total hospitalization charge.