The role of fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of parotid gland tumors: Correlation with preoperative computerized tomography tumor size

The role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of parotid gland masses is still controversial, regarding its sensitivity and specificity that vary between 41% and 100% and between 86% and 100% respectively. The aim of this study was to identify the specificity and sensitivity of FNAC of parotid gland tumors in relation to the tumor size as characterized preoperatively by computer tomography. The medical files of 79 patients whom were referred to the MaxilloFacila Surgery Department, Rambam medical center, over a 10.5-year period (2000-2010) were analyzed retrospectively. The extensity of the operation was determined by the location of the tumor as presented in computed tomography (CT) radiography, and preoperative FNAC examination. The majority of the masses were located in the superficial lobe (88.52%),andonly11.48%ofthepatientswerelocatedinthedeeplobe (8:1 ratio). FNAC results were nondiagnostic in 7 patients (8.86%), 62 patients were diagnosed as inflammatory and benign lesion in (78.48%), malignant tumors were diagnosed in 10 patients (12.65%). The sensitivity in our study was 90%, the specificity was 98%, positive predictive value was 90%, negative predictive value was 98%, and diagnostic accuracy was 88%. The positive predictive value was 90%, the negative predictive value was 98%. Analyzing the effect of the preoperative CT size upon the accuracy of the FNAC diagnosis, we found that lesion with preoperative CT size greater than 24 mm has a more accurate FNAC result (P = 0.034).