Purpose: to evaluate, in a prospective way, the performance of the fine needle aspiration biopsy in the differential diagnosis of palpable breast masses. Method: the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for this test were evaluated in 102 women with age above 30 years and a palpable breast mass, who were attended at the University of Campinas. All punctures were performed by the same examiner. Results: the procedure had a sensitivity of 97%, specificity of 87%, positive predictive value of 94% and negative predictive value of 93%. The insufficient or unsatisfactory sample rate was 16% for the first aspiration, decreasing to 2% with a new procedure. Conclusions: this test showed to be highly sensitive and specific for the differential diagnosis of palpable breast masses, reassuring its great importance for the clinical approach of palpable masses.
Fine needle aspiration biopsy; Breast cancer
