Fine needle aspiration cytology of head and neck lesions: an early experience

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed on 91 patients with lesions of salivary glands and cervical lymph nodes. The results were compared with histopathology in 58 patients who subsequently underwent surgery. Of a total of 105 aspirates, a definitive cytodiagnosis was possible in 88 (83.8%). An overall sensitivity of 77.7% and specificity of 93.3% were obtained when the cytological results were correlated with histopathology in 48 cases. The figures for salivary glands were 40.0 and 88.9%, and for cervical lymph nodes were 92.3 and 100.0% respectively. The incorrect diagnosis of some aspirates did not adversely affect the subsequent management of these cases. Fine needle aspiration cytology has a role in the diagnosis and management of a variety of head and neck lesions, although it should be used, along with other investigations, not as a substitute but as an adjunct to sound clinical judgement. The limitations of the procedure, including occasional errors of cytodiagnosis, should be borne in mind. The use of this technique by otolaryngologists has been limited, and we advocate that it becomes a more integral part of the diagnostic work-up in head and neck practice.