In the last decade fine needle aspiraration biopsy has gained recognition as a valuable diagnostic technique, and its benefits have been demonstrated in large series of patients with almost every type of tumor (1,2). The usual way to collect cellular material from needle-aspiration biopsies is to discharge the needle and syringe contents onto a microscopic slide and smear the material with another slide. The entire specimen is contained on the slides prepared at the time of biopsy. Serious technical difficulties are inherent to this method. 1) Inconsistent fixation, 2) drying artifact, 3) loss of tissue fragments, 4) inability to confirm impressions by a “second method”, and 5) retention of significant diagnostic material in the needle hub. Our technique avoids these difficulties.
