Core needle biopsy in the diagnosis of head and neck lesions: a retrospective study of 3 years.

The management of head and neck tumors is guided by its nature, location and extension. Despite CNB accuracy and efficiency being widely described in the literature, there are few studies that evaluate the diagnostic utility of the technique performed in an outpatient setting, in the diagnosis of head and neck tumors. The aim of this study is to present the experience, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the CNB performed in an outpatient setting, free handed, in an important oncology school-hospital. A total of 2007 patients with tumors in the head and neck treated for a period of 3 years were evaluated. A retrospective chart review was performed in 36 of these patients, who underwent core needle biopsy for diagnosis. All samples collected were subjected to histopathological analysis. Values of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 94, 92 and 100 %, respectively. In our service, held in an outpatient setting and without the aid of imaging tests, the core needle biopsy proved to be a test with high accuracy values, sensitivity and specificity, easy of application, low morbidity and high predictability, with great use in diagnosing tumors in head and neck.