Lung Cancer Diagnosis by Fine Needle Aspiration Is Associated With Reduction in Resection of Nonmalignant Lung Nodules

The resection rate of nonmalignant nodules was significantly lower for patients with preoperative CT-guided FNA biopsy than in those without. The diagnostic accuracy of FNA in these patients at moderate to high risk for lung cancer is higher than that of positron emission tomography, with a low rate of adverse events. These findings suggest that the frequent use of preoperative diagnostic confirmation by FNA results in a low rate of nonmalignant resection.