Table 1. Comparison between initial uses of randomized core biopsy needles.
| FNB (n = 41) |
TCB (n = 37) |
P value | |
| Age | |||
| Mean ± SD | 56.93 ± 16.33 | 59.86 ± 15.79 | 0.42 |
| Gender, (n, %) | 24 (59) | 15 (41) | 0.17 |
| Indication for biopsy | |||
| Liver biopsy | 5 (12) | 8 (22) | |
| Mesenchymal tumor | 9 (22) | 4 (11) | |
| Chronic or autoimmune pancreatitis | 5 (12) | 2 (5) | |
| NHL or sarcoidosis | 5 (12) | 6 (16) | 0.32 |
| Non-diagnostic FNA | 1 (3) | 4 (11) | |
| Solid tumor or mass | 16 (39) | 13 (35) | |
| Site of biopsy | |||
| Pancreatic head/uncinate | 4 (10) | 5 (13) | |
| Pancreatic neck/body/tail | 7 (17) | 5 (13) | |
| Left lobe liver | 7 (17) | 8 (22) | |
| Gastric wall/mass | 7 (17) | 5 (13) | 0.99 |
| Esophageal wall | 1 (3) | 1 (4) | |
| Posterior mediastinal node/mass | 5 (12) | 5 (13) | |
| Abdominal node/mass | 10 (24) | 8 (22) | |
| Size of mass (mm) | |||
| Mean ± SD | 43.7 ± 26.7 | 43.0 ± 17.9 | 0.89 |
| No mass | 10 (24) | 10 (27) | |
| Number of passes | |||
| Mean ± SD | 2.07 ± 0.72 | 2.14 ± 0.95 | 0.71 |
| Median (range) | 2 (1 – 3) | 2 (0 – 3) | |
| Site of puncture | |||
| Transesophageal | 7 (17) | 6 (16) | 0.85 |
| Transgastric | 30 (73) | 25 (71) | |
| Transduodenal | 4 (10) | 5 (13) | |
| Technical success initial needle (n,%) | |||
| First pass | 39/41 (95) | 29/37 (78) | 0.04 |
| Second pass | 31/33 (94) | 25/27 (93) | 1.0 |
| Third pass | 10/11 (91) | 19/21 (90) | 1.0 |
| Overall | 80/85 (94) | 73/85 (86) | 0.12 |
| Diagnostic histology (n,%) | 35/41 (85) | 21/37 (57) | 0.006 |
| Diagnostic accuracy (n, %)1 | 35/40 (88) | 23/37 (62) | 0.02 |
| Diagnostic Attempted Immunohistochemistry | 24/26 (92) | 9/10 (90) | 1.0 |
| Overall Specimen Length (mm) | |||
| Mean ± SD | 19.4 ± 14.1 | 4.3 ± 4.5 | 0.001 |
| Median (range) | 15 (3 – 60) | 3 (0 – 14) | |
| Complete Portal Triads | |||
| Number of Patients | 5 | 8 | .. |
| Mean ± SD | 10.4 ± 4.7 | 1.3 ± 1.9 | 0.0004 |
Abbreviations: FNB, fine needle biopsy; NHL, non-Hodgkins lymphoma; SD, standard deviation; TCB, Tru-Cut biopsy.
1
Diagnostic Accuracy for FNB group calculated out of 40 patients. One patient lost to follow up and final diagnosis was unconfirmed.