Fine-needle aspiration biopsy revisited.

Between November 1972 and December 1981, 1303 fine needle aspiration biopsies were performed on patients with head and neck masses at the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University. The results of 649 lymph node, 227 salivary gland, 286 thyroid, and 41 miscellaneous aspiration biopsies are reviewed. No radical treatment resulted from false positive diagnoses and no patient delay in treatment occurred because of false negative results. Techniques for performing the procedure are briefly reviewed. Cost containment is stressed, particularly the savings that occur when the diagnosis is not neoplastic. Future developments and uses of the procedure are discussed.