To evaluate the role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of liver malignancy including hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective: to find out the role of fna cytology in the diagnosis of liver malignancy especially hepatocellular carcinoma. material and methods: 35 female patients with age range 25-85 years who visited gastroenterology department of sheikh zayed hospital lahore were included in the study. the space occupying lesions of the liver of patients were diagnosed by ultrasonography. fine needle aspiration (fna) is used to perform liver biopsy by special needles of menghini. about 1-2 ml specimen was collected from each patient under image guidance. results: it was observed that 77% cases (27 patients) were diagnosed as malignant. eighteen patients had a space occupying lesion in the right lobe of liver,05 had lesion in the left lobe and in 04 patients the lesion involved parts of both lobes. out of 27 malignant cases 70% cases were diagnosed as primary cancer of hepatic cell or hcc,15% patients had metastatic adenocarcinoma,7% had metastatic melanoma,while 4% showed metastatic spindle cell carcinoma and 4% cases were of unclassified carcinoma. conclusion: fna cytology in case of space occupying lesions of liver can be relied upon to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. the results improve considerably with availability of cell block along with relevant laboratory and ultrasound findings.