How Ultrasound Guided FNA Can Improve Your Pathology Practice

Doctors have been putting needles into patients for years to aspirate fluid for cellular analysis via fine needle aspiration (FNA); to withdraw a tissue sample for histology for injections, and to place intravenous catheters.  Until recently, the vast majority of these procedures were done by using anatomical landmarks to guide placement of the needle. Now that ultrasound systems are more affordable and easier to use, ultrasound guidance is being used more frequently for needle procedures.  Ultrasound-guided procedures offer the following advantages:   

Safer – Less likelihood of hitting a vulnerable structure such as an artery or nerve with potentially catastrophic results

Faster – By guiding the needle correctly, the potential for missing the target is reduced, and the procedure can often be done optimally the first time

More effective – If a biopsy or FNA needle misses the target and doesn’t obtain any abnormal cells, the procedure may result in a false negative exam, which is worse than not doing it in the first place.  For nerve blocks, the anesthetic is not effective if not delivered to the nerve sheath.  For vascular access, a catheter must be advanced the right direction and avoid obstacles.  For all these examples, ultrasound FNA improves the accuracy of needle placement

Better patient tolerance – Nobody enjoys being poked with needles and the fewer insertions the better.  With ultrasound guidance, the procedure can be done quickly with the least amount of pain and trauma.

In the video below, Dr. Susan Rollins discusses how Ultrasonix systems have met her ultrasound needs as a renowned pathologist.  She explains why 80% of her biopsies at her clinic are performed with ultrasound guidance.