Publication:

Fine needle aspiration cytology of salivary gland lesions: study in a tertiary care hospital of North Bihar

Background Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of suspected salivary gland lesions has an established role in preoperative diagnosis and management of patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the spectrum of salivary gland lesions in our setting and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC for salivary gland lesions.

Methods In the present study, 189 cases were included in this study and cytohistological correlation was made in 84 cases only. FNA was performed from different sites of the salivary gland swelling using a 10 mL disposable syringe and 23/24-gauge needle without local anaesthesia. FNA air-dried smears were stained with Giemsa stain and wet smears fixed in 95% ethyl alcohol were stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain. Paraffin embedded tissue sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H & E).

Results Overall diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in our study was found to be 94.05% with 88% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity.

Conclusions The high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of FNAC confirm that preoperative cytology is a useful, quick and reliable diagnostic technique indispensable for developing countries.