Accuracy and Adequacy of Computed Tomography-Guided Lung Biopsies: Experience From a Community Hospital.

Context: Small tissue biopsies obtained through minimally invasive methods have become the primary diagnostic tools for the pathologic characterization and testing of lung masses. In view of recent advances in targeted therapy for non-small cell lung carcinoma, and lung adenocarcinoma in particular, pathologists are now expected to thoroughly characterize lung lesions microscopically while making certain that enough tissue remains for potential molecular analysis if indicated.

Objective: To report our experience with computed tomography (CT)-guided lung needle biopsies with particular concentration on diagnostic yield, diagnostic accuracy, and adequacy of tissue for molecular testing if indicated.

Nodular sclerosing classical Hodgkin lymphoma masquerading as acute suppurative-necrotizing lymphadenitis.

The diagnosis of nodular sclerosing classical Hodgkin lymphoma (NSCHL) by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy has historically been a diagnostic challenge due to the usual paucicellularity of the specimen. This case report, and other previously published reports, suggests that there is another facet to the potentially challenging diagnosis of this particular variant of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL): the presence of suppurative-necrotizing changes mimicking an infectious etiology. The patient presented here underwent FNA biopsy of an acutely enlarged supraclavicular lymph node and cytologic smears showed marked acute inflammation in a background of necrosis.

Breast-conservation treatment outcomes: a community hospital's experience.

In the United States, the majority of early breast cancer patients choose breast-conserving treatment in the community setting, yet there is a paucity of literature describing outcomes. In this paper, we describe our experience with breast-conserving treatment in a small community hospital. Our hospital tumor registry was used to identify breast cancer cases diagnosed at our hospital between 1997 and 2003.

Cost savings associated with the use of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for the diagnosis of palpable masses in a community hospital-based FNAB clinic.

Background: Generally, it is assumed that fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for the diagnosis of superficial, palpable masses is a less expensive alternative to diagnostic open surgical biopsy; however, to the authors' knowledge few studies to date have sought to quantify the number of diagnostic surgical procedures avoided and cost savings involved. In this article, the authors report their experience with 664 FNAB procedures that were performed by a cytopathologist/cytotechnologist team practicing in a community setting.

Methods: Records from a total of 664 consecutive FNAB cases from 607 patients who underwent FNAB in a community hospital-based FNAB clinic between 2003 and 2005 were reviewed retrospectively, and follow-up data were obtained.

Extra-salivary gland presentations of adenoid cystic carcinoma: a report of three cases.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant neoplasm most commonly originating in salivary glands of the head and neck area. When ACC presents outside of these locations, the diagnosis may become more challenging. We describe three cases of ACC presenting in extra-salivary gland sites.