The use of computerised tomography guided percutaneous fine needle aspiration in the evaluation of solitary pulmonary nodules.

The evaluation of a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) has changed over the years with increased access to percutaneous computerised tomography (CT) guided fine needle aspiration (FNA), where bronchoscopy is unhelpful. The aim of our study was to evaluate the sample adequacy, diagnostic and complication rate of CT-FNA of a SPN at our academic teaching hospital over an 18 month period. CT-FNA was performed by a radiologist, with a cytopathologist in attendance to confirm the adequacy of the sample obtained. The size of the nodule, sample material and adequacy, diagnosis and complications were recorded. A total of 101 patients were included, 54 male and the mean age was 68 +/- 11 years. The mean size of the SPN was 2.3 cm (range 1-11 cm). 56 (56%) patients had a right SPN, 45 (45%) had a left SPN. CT-FNA was diagnostic in 80 (80%) patients and non-diagnostic in 21 (20%) patients. The sample was insufficient for immunocytochemistry, although the morphological appearance was diagnostic in 20 (25%) of the 80 patients. Pneumothorax occurred in 26/101 (26%) patients post CT-FNA, of these 7 (27%) required chest drain insertion, while 19 (73%) were managed conservatively. CT FNA is a useful tool for the diagnosis of a SPN, with our diagnostic accuracy comparable to that reported in the literature. However, CT-FNA may not provide adequate sample volume to perform ancillary testing and has a moderate complication rate.