Cases with negative biopsy procedures
| Description | Cases n |
| Diagnosis established with other means | 12 |
| Fibrosis, confirmed with follow-up and full clinical recovery | 4 |
| Lymphoma, surgical biopsy | 3 |
| Undifferentiated nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, diagnosed with transbronchial needle aspiration | 2 |
| Undifferentiated nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, diagnosed with repeat FNAB/CNB | 2 |
| Full recovery on antituberculous treatment | 1 |
| Undiagnosed | 8 |
| Deceased from widely metastatic tumour from unknown primary. Patients wanted no further diagnostic procedures | 5 |
| Deceased with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon | 1 |
| Patient died from HIV-related illness. Aspirated material showed giant cells and granuloma. Culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis remained negative | 1 |
| Large paravertebral mass. Multiple biopsies revealed necrotic material. Lost to follow-up | 1 |
FNAB: fine-needle aspiration biopsy; CNB: cutting-needle biopsy.