Fine-needle aspiration biopsy: an analysis of 89 head and neck cases

In a recent 2-year period, 89 fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) were performed on head and neck lesions in 81 patients from 6 to 97 years of age. Eighty-four of the FNABs were considered diagnostic. Thirty of the aspirates were diagnosed as benign whereas 54 were diagnosed as malignant. Three specimens were suspicious for malignancy, and 2 specimens were considered nondiagnostic. The most common malignant diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma, which involved 32 of the specimens. The most common benign diagnosis was pleomorphic adenoma. Subsequent surgical biopsy specimens were available in 45 of the patients. Of these, 41 were consistent with the FNAB diagnosis, whereas 4 were not.