COMPARISON OF TRANSRECTAL FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AND CORE NEEDLE-BIOPSY IN DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATE-CANCER

One hundred sixty-nine trasrectal fine-needle aspirations of the prostate gland wereperformed in 166 patients over a two-year period. The results were compared with simultaneous core needle biopsy performed in all but 4 patients. Forty-seven (28 %) aspirations were either unsatisfactory or inconclusive. Of the remaining 122 (72 %) patients in whom a cytologic diagnosis could be made, core biopsy was available in 120. Aspiration cytology was 87 percent sensitive and 96 percent specific with an overall agreement of 93 percent with core biopsy. No major complications occurred. We conclude that fine-needle aspiration of the prostate is accurate, safe, and cost-effcetive and greater application of this technique is encouraged. © 1990.