Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of the Salivary Gland: An analysis of 221 cases

Park, Ayoung; Kim, Hee Kyoung; Kim, Dong Won; Jin, So Young; Lee, Dong Wha

Abstract

Fine needle aspiration cytology of the salivary lesions was performed on 221 patients at Soonchunhyang University Hospital for 10 years. Of 221 aspirates, 6 aspirates(2.7%) were inadequate, 116 cases(52.5%) were non-neoplastic lesions, 76(34.4%) cases were benign neoplasms and 23 cases(10.4%) were malignant neoplasms. The cytologic diagnoses could be correlated with histologic findings in 58 cases. FNAC correctly discriminated between neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions in fifty-seven lesions and failed in a case, and overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 98.3%, 98.0%, and 100.0%. FNAC correctly discriminated malignant neoplasms from benign neoplastic/non- neoplastic lesions in fifty-three cases and failed in five cases, and overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 91.3%, 72.7%, and 95.7%. Among three false negative cases, two mucoepidermoid carcinomas were misdiagnosed as mucocele and benign neoplasm, and an acinic cell carcinoma were misdiagnosed as Warthin's tumor. Two false positive cases were a Warthin's tumor misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma and a pleomorphic adenoma misinterpretated as suggestive of malignancy. In conclusion, diagnostic accuracy of FNAC of salivary lesions is high, and the possibilities of low grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma and acinic cell carcinoma should be considered on hypocellular smears with mucoid or fluidy background.