Fine Aspiration Needle Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Salivary Gland Diseases -Our Hitherto Assembled Experience

Overview

Fine aspiration needle biopsy (FNAB) is becoming a very important examinationmethod in the diagnosis of tumours of the major salivary glands. The objective of the work is toevaluate cytological findings assembled by FNAB during the preoperative examination and tocompare these findings with postoperative histological findings. Statistical evaluation coveringa three-year period. During 1998-2001 Fine aspiration needle biopsy was made in 80 patients, 42 men and 38 women,mean age 52.2 years (range 18-88 years). Aspiration needle biopsy was used to examine 49 parotidglands, 28 submandibular glands and three sublingual glands. In 69 patients (86.2 %) the collectedspecimens could be diagnostically evaluated, in 11 patients (13.7 %) the specimen could not bediagnosed. In 20 patients (25 %) a malignant tumour of a salivary gland was verified or a metastasisof amalignant tumour into the area of a large salivary gland. In 49 patients (69.6 %) a benign rumourwas found. On evaluation of the results of the preoperative cytological and postoperative histologicalfinding the result was in both instances positive (TP) in 50 patients (62.5 %), in 9 patients (11.2 %)the result was in both instances negative. A falsely positive (suspect) result was obtained in twopatients (2.5 %) and in eight patient (10 %) it was falsely negative. With the exception of onesubsequently not confirmed suspected malignity no falsely positive diagnosis of malignity wasrecorded.The sensitivity of aspiration needle biopsy was 86.2 %, the specifity 85.2 % and the diagnosticaccuracy 85.5 %.The results assembled in the baseline group of patients provide evidence of the usefulness of FNAB,in particular for the selection of and adequate surgical intervention.

Key words:
aspiration needle biopsy, salivary gland tumours, cytology, histology.