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. 2023 Dec;52(6):400-404.
doi: 10.1111/jmp.12676. Epub 2023 Sep 15.

Comparison of fine-needle aspiration techniques

Jason P Dufour  1 , Carolina Allers  1 , Faith Schiro  1 , Kathrine P Falkenstein  1 , Kayleigh K Gregoire  1 , Colin D Glover  1 , Alayna N Chamel  1 , Adrienne Woods  1 , Jonah P Phillippi  1 , Taylor M Gideon  1 , Amitinder Kaur  1
Affiliations

Comparison of fine-needle aspiration techniques

Jason P Dufour et al. J Med Primatol. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has been reported since 1912 beginning with the use of trocars and other specialized instruments that were impractical. Since then, FNA has proven to be a successful alternative technique to excisional biopsy for some assays despite a few limitations.

Methods: In this study, we compared four different techniques for FNA in rhesus macaques by evaluating total live cells recovered and cell viability using a standard 6 mL syringe and 1.5-inch 22-gauge needle.

Results: Technique B which was the only technique in which the needle was removed from the syringe after collection of the sample to allow forced air through the needle to expel the contents into media followed by flushing of the syringe and needle resulted in the highest total cell count and second highest cell viability in recovered cells.

Conclusion: Based on our results, Technique B appears to be the superior method.

Keywords: biopsy; cell viability; fine-needle aspiration; lymph node; needle core biopsy; total cell count.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(A)Debakey forceps isolating the inguinal lymphnode. (B) Fine needle aspiration of the lymph node with a 22 gauge needle.
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(A)Debakey forceps isolating the inguinal lymphnode. (B) Fine needle aspiration of the lymph node with a 22 gauge needle.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
INRAD Aspiration Biopsy Syringe Gun
Figure 3 A and B.
Figure 3 A and B.
Median and 95% confidence intervals for the percent viability of cells recovered by FNA techniques A-D. There was an overall significant difference among techniques (Friedman statistic = 9.69, p = 0.0214). Technique A had a significantly lower percent of viable cells compared to Technique C (Dunn’s multiple comparison Z = 2.83, p = 0.0281). No other significant differences were found.
Figure 3 A and B.
Figure 3 A and B.
Median and 95% confidence intervals for the percent viability of cells recovered by FNA techniques A-D. There was an overall significant difference among techniques (Friedman statistic = 9.69, p = 0.0214). Technique A had a significantly lower percent of viable cells compared to Technique C (Dunn’s multiple comparison Z = 2.83, p = 0.0281). No other significant differences were found.
Figure 4 A and B.
Figure 4 A and B.
Median and 95% confidence intervals for the total live cells recovered by FNA techniques A-D. There was an overall significant difference among techniques (Friedman statistic = 10.04, p = 0.0182). Technique B had a significantly more live cells compared to Technique C (Dunn’s multiple comparison Z = 3.11, p = 0.0112). No other significant differences were found.
Figure 4 A and B.
Figure 4 A and B.
Median and 95% confidence intervals for the total live cells recovered by FNA techniques A-D. There was an overall significant difference among techniques (Friedman statistic = 10.04, p = 0.0182). Technique B had a significantly more live cells compared to Technique C (Dunn’s multiple comparison Z = 3.11, p = 0.0112). No other significant differences were found.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Median and 95% confidence intervals for the percent viability of cells recovered by FNA techniques A-D grouped by lymph node type. No statistically significant differences were found
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Median and 95% confidence intervals for the total live cells recovered by FNA techniques A-D grouped by lymph node type. No statistically significant differences were found due to the significant variability within subjects.
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