A simple exam to screen superficial masses: fine-needle aspiration cytology

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is now considered a useful tool in the evaluation of adult patients with mass lesions. We reviewed the experience with FNAC in our Paediatric Surgical Department. One hundred and eleven FNACs were performed in children with a superficial mass and no definite diagnosis. All the exams were done by the same physician using a fine needle and no anesthesia. We routinely used May-Grüwald-Giemsa and Papanicolaou staining. Patients age ranged from 20 days to 17 years, with a mean age of 6.5 years. A clinically benign pathology was cytologically confirmed in 90 cases (81%). All children did well at follow-up. Malignancy was diagnosed in eight cases (7.2%) and in all was confirmed with a surgical biopsy. In nine children (8.1%) the specimen was considered insufficient for definite diagnosis. In four cases (3.6%) the pathologist diagnosed a possible malignancy that was excluded at surgical biopsy. The sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 96%. Our experience confirms that FNAC is a fast, cheap, simple, and accurate diagnostic method and should be used for screening in all children with doubtful superficial masses.