The value of percutaneous fine needle aspiration cytology under ultrasound guidance in the diagnosis of pancreatic masses

Between September 1996 and May 1999 twenty six pa¬tients with a pancreatic mass were studied. In 24 patients (92.3 %) the masses could be detected by ultrasound but were not detectable in the other two cases. In the 24 pa¬tients percutaneous FNAC under u/s guidance produced only one complication. The accuracy of this test in diagnosing pancreatic ma¬lignant tumours was 90.4 %. Laparotomy was not neces¬sary in three cases with advanced pancreatic carcinoma (11.5 %) and the material aspirated was not suitable for di¬agnosis in three cases. No benign lesions were found and so it was not possible to estimate the reliability of FNAC in their diagnosis.