ABSTRACT
Introduction: Neck swellings are commonest incidentalfindings that are present in all age groups. Objective of thecurrent research was to study the diagnostic accuracy offine needle aspiration cytology in neck swellings keepinghistopathology as gold standard.Material and methods: This is a prospective study conductedfrom January 2017 to December 2017 comprising of 70 casesof neck lesions who underwent FNAC at Adesh HospitalBathinda. Histopathological diagnosis was considered asgold standard. Efficacy of FNAC was determined in termsof sensitivity, specificity, Positive predictive value, NegativePredictive value and diagnostic accuracy.Results: Sensitivity, specificity, Positive predictive value,Negative Predictive value and diagnostic accuracy were83.33%, 100%, 100%, 98.46% and 98.57%.Conclusion: FNAC should be treated as a first-line diagnostictest for neck swellings. As maximum number of cases ofhead and neck lesions are nonneoplastic, FNAC can avoidunnecessary surgeries.