[Pleural biopsy].

From 1975 to December 1990, 391 needle biopsies were performed in 379 patients, aged from 19 to 82 years. The combination of cytological and histological examination of pleural biopsy specimens was done. Histologically useful specimens were obtained in 265 (67.8%) biopsies and cytologically satisfactory in 106 (27.1%). Histology revealed non-specific changes in 136 (51.3%) cases, malignant neoplasm in 61 (23-0%), granulomatous inflammation in 47 (17.8%), chronic inflammation in 20 (7.6%) and rheumatoid pleuritis in 1 (0.3%) case. Cytology showed the presence of malignant neoplastic cells in 60 (56.7%), granulomatous changes in 44 (41.5%) and changes that were cytomorphologically denoted as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rheumatoid pleuritis in 2 of the 106 useful biopsy specimens.