Clinically malignant scalp and underlying bone tumours diagnosed by aspiration cytology: a study of 121 cases

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology was employed in 121 cases of clinically malignant scalp and underlying bone tumours from July 1984 to March 1991. The age of the patients ranged from 2 to 76 years. There were 48 benign cases and 73 malignant lesions. The cytological findings correlated with histopathological analysis except in 5 cases in benign tumours (diagnostic accuracy being 89.6%) and in 5 cases in malignant tumours (diagnostic accuracy being 93.2%). The clinical history, the radiological parameters and the cytological analysis helped to avoid false positive report. No complication was encountered in this procedure.