Usefulness of fine needle aspiration cytology in diagnosis of neck masses.

ABSTRACT

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a well established, simple, quick, inexpensive and minimally invasive diagnostic technique. Neck region of human body is relatively small area but houses a fairly large number of organs with a variety of lesions and consequently require from conservative to aggressive management protocols. Aims and objectives: To assess sensitivity and specificity or diagnostic value of FNAC of neck masses keeping histopathology as gold standard. Materials and Methods: Surgical biopsies or excisions from neck masses were received in fifty nine cases in which prior FNAC was done. The findings of histopathological study were correlated with the diagnosis given on FNAC. Further the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results: Twenty eight aspirates were from lymph nodes, fourteen were from thyroid gland, thirteen were of salivary gland origin and four were others. Out of the Fifty nine cases the diagnosis of forty four (74.57%) was corroborated by histopathology. In fifteen (25.42%) cases the histopathological diagnosis was dissimilar to that of FNAC. The overall sensitivity of FNAC in the diagnosis of neck masses was calculated to be 83.01% and specificity was 78.94%. Sensitivity was highest (82.14%) for neck lymph nodes and lowest for thyroid masses (64.28%). Specificity was the highest for other neck masses (100%) and the lowest for neck nodes (71.2%). Conclusion: FNAC of neck masses is an effective diagnostic tool but its sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis in different organs should be kept in mind while creating a management protocol for the patient.