Subject(s)
Cat Diseases/surgery , Dog Diseases/surgery , Skin Transplantation/veterinary , Wounds and Injuries/surgery , Animals , Female , MaleSubject(s)
Fibroma/diagnosis , Football , Lipoma/diagnosis , Neck/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Fibroma/surgery , Humans , Lipectomy , Lipoma/surgery , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Abscess/complications , Fournier Gangrene/diagnosis , Perineum/pathology , Scrotum/pathology , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for salivary gland tumours requires expertise in interpretation. When a diagnosis is not clear (despite a cellular aspirate), published work is lacking on the value of repeating the test. METHODS: A retrospective study of 135 patients who had FNAC followed by definitive excision for a suspected salivary gland tumour. Accuracy was compared among those requiring repeat FNAC on one more occasion because of a non-diagnostic initial cytology report. RESULTS: 33 patients (24% of study group) had repeat FNAC. A definite cytological diagnosis was subsequently made in 27/33 patients (82%). The sensitivity (84%) and specificity (93%) of repeat FNAC in distinguishing benign from malignant tumours was similar to initial FNAC (70% and 95%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Repeat FNAC may provide a cytological diagnosis in cases where the initial diagnosis is not clear, although cytology should be used in conjunction with other investigations of salivary tumours, including image-guided biopsy examination where appropriate. Ideally salivary gland FNAC should be interpreted by a specialist pathologist.