Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions.

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a rapid, reliable and cost-effective method in the diagnosis of lung lesions. Cells are collected from the lesions usually under fluoroscopic or CT-guidance for cytological examination. Due to lack of these highly sophisticated radiologic imaging techniques in our institute we performed this test under X-Ray film guidance. This study was carried out in 59 patients, who underwent FNAC of lung lesions in the department of Pathology, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh to find out the specimen adequacy and frequency of both benign and malignant lesions of the lungs in our areas. Out of 59 cases 54 were males and 5 were females with age ranged from 20 to 82 years. Adequate samples were obtained in 50 (84.75%) cases of which 35 (70%) were malignant, 10 (20%) were benign and 5 (10%) were suspicious for malignancy. Malignant lesions comprised of squamous cell carcinoma in 20 (57.14%), adenocarcinoma in 1(2.86%), large cell carcinoma in 8 (22.86%) and small cell carcinoma in 6 (17.14%) cases. All the benign lesions were inflammatory in nature, which included abscess in 6 (60%), tuberculosis in 3 (30%) and chronic non-specific inflammation in 1 (10%) case. Majority of the malignant lung lesions were encountered in the 6th decade of life. As the method is simple, rapid, cost-effective and without major complications, so it can be practiced in any centres in our country where specialised radiologists and pathologists are available.