Fine needle aspiration of the solitary pulmonary nodule.

Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy is a well-established method of obtaining cytologic and histologic samples from a pulmonary nodule. Properly performed, needle biopsy is a simple and safe procedure. Pneumothorax is the most common complication, which, if symptomatic or large, is easily treated by chest tube insertion or aspiration. Minor hemorrhage and hemoptysis is the other common complication, which is rarely serious. Rare complications include air embolism and needle tract metastases. Needle biopsy has a high sensitivity and specificity for malignancy. For benign lesion, a specific diagnosis is less common, although with core needle biopsy, the yield of a specific benign diagnosis is increased.