Objectives: A total of 43 FNABs, corresponding blood specimens and conventional biopsies from 39 adult liver allograft recipients were analysed. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether results obtained by cytological and histological examination were concordant at the monitoring of liver allograft rejection within the first 5 weeks of the posttransplant period.
Results: When histology in 14 cases showed rejection, rejection was diagnosed in 12 out of 14 FNAB specimens. When in other 14 cases the rejection was absent histologically, FNAB was negative in 10 out of those 14 specimens (sensitivity 85.7%, specificity 71.4%). Cholestasis was demonstrated in biopsy and FNAB specimens with sensitivity 83% and specificity 86%.
Conclusion: FNAB is a useful method for diagnosis of acute rejection in liver allograft during the early posttransplant period, as well as for evaluation of cholestasis. Results obtained by FNAB correlated well with results obtained by core-needle biopsy.