Clinical value of pulmonary needle biopsy in diagnosis of pulmonary carcinoma

In 92 consecutive pulmonary needle biopsies, preliminary diagnoses on the basis of radiological and clinical data were compared with cytological reports. Three groups emerged. In the first, of 43 cases with radiological changes typical for primary lung carcinoma and no clinical data making other diagnosis a plausible alternative, the cytologist found carcinoma cells in 37 and malignant lymphoma cells in one. A further 3 cases proved to be carcinomas at the histological examination. Two cases were not carcinomas. In the second group, where 30 patients displayed radiological changes less typical for primary diagnoses, or clinical/anamnestical data also supported alternative diagnoses, the cytologist found malignancies in 8 cases, carcinoid in one and no signs of malignancy in 21 cases. In 19 cases the patients were considered radiologically to have no malignancies. Malignant cells were found in none. It is concluded that in a certain group of patients, the diagnosis of pulmonary carcinoma can be made with reasonable accuracy from radiological and clinical data alone. Needle aspiration biopsy and similar techniques are of questionable value as routine procedures when the probability of this diagnosis is already very high on other grounds. Their use should be reserved for cases where plausible diagnostic alternatives are present.