Non-imaging-guided fine-needle aspiration of liver lesions: a retrospective study of 279 patients.

AIM:To determine the value of nonimaging-guided (direct) fine-needle aspiration cytology in diagnosing liver lesions.METHODS:Detection by technetium-99m, ultrasound or computed tomographic scanning of the liver was made in 279 patients with 332 aspirations.RESULTS:Based on histologic, cytologic and clinical findings, final liver diagnoses were reached in 265 patients, of whom 171 had malignant and 94 benign liver disease.