Background: Fine Needle
Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) under image guidance has gained increasing
acceptance as the diagnostic procedure of choice for patients with focal
hepatic lesions. It can be performed percutaneously or endoscopically. FNA may
also be performed at laparoscopy or laparotomy under direct vision when image
guided FNA fails to provide diagnostic tissue. In experienced hands, FNA is
safe, minimally invasive, accurate, and cost-effective.
However, the main aim of this study is to assess the role of FNAC in the
evaluation of focal liver lesions. Patients and method: This prospective study
was conducted over one year,on 100 patients in Kurdistan Center for
Gastroenterology and Hepatology (KCGH) and in Sulaimani General Teaching
Hospital. All patients were properly assessed by history analyses and thorough
clinical examination. Laboratory investigations including hematological,
biochemical, viral markers, and tumor markers were requested. Thus,
ultrasonically guided FNA was performed after obtaining a written informed
consent from the patients. Results: FNAC showed that eighty
patients (80%) had secondary liver metastasis. Ten patients (10%) had HCC; three patients had hemangioma; one patient had abscess; and 6
patients had inconclusive result; two patients had simple cyst.
Apart from mild post procedure pain, no complication or mortality had been
recorded. Conclusion: FNAC is simple, easy, rapid and a minimally invasive
procedure that has an acceptable diagnostic yield for focal liver lesions.
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