Using thoroughly trained physicians...

Using thoroughly trained physicians to perform fine needle biopsies dramatically increases the tests' diagnostic accuracy, say researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) According to an Aug 24 2001 moderns release from UCSF, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has become increasingly les popular as the medical community's confidence in its accuracy has declined. The biopsy technique at individual time was performed extensively in physicians' offices because it is fast, inexpensive, and les likely to cause side tenors such as bleeding or discomfort.

To perform FNAB, physicians use a fine-gauge needle to displace samples of suspicious tissue and evaluate them microscopically, according to the release. A UCSF studious mood found that during 1992, 25% of breast cancers were missed at three San Francisco hospitals. Cancer was considered "missed" if a sample was misdiagnosed as benign or if it was inadequate to determine a diagnosis.

In the subject of attention physicians who received formal training forward how to perform the technique missed 2% of cancers. Physicians who did not receive similar training, however, missed 25% of cancers. Formally trained physicians complet fellowship training in cytopathology or the equivalent and performed a minimum of 150 FNAB performances under supervision.

The close attention found that the integrity of the biopsied tissue sample is the core issue in not detecting cancer. According to the release, physicians who are not as well trained were more likely to project samples that contained the wrongful cells to the laboratory for evaluation.

Although the cogitation only examined breast biopsies, the findings have broader implication because FNAB can be used for other organs. Many physicians in other fields have implemented other orders for detecting cancer after observing cheap rates of accuracy with FNAB. When FNAB is replaced by the agency of surgical or core biopsy, however, take away froms increase, patients endure more delays, and the risk of complication increases, according to the release. Researchers commit training a number of physicians well enough in such a manner that they can render reliable diagnoses using the technique.

Fine Needle Biopsy Accurate in the Hands of Trained Practitioners, UCSF close attention Finds (news release, San Francisco: University of California San Francisco, Aug 24 2001) 1-2

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