Fine needle aspiration cytology and frozen section in the diagnosis of malignant parotid tumours

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and frozen section (FS) in the diagnosis of malignant parotid tumours. One hundred and thirty-eight patients who underwent FNAC and FS of a parotid tumour between 2006 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of FNAC and FS were determined using final histological diagnosis as the gold standard. Of the 138 tumours assessed in our study, 30 were malignant and 108 benign. For FNAC, the sensitivity was 73%, specificity 87%, positive predictive value 61%, and negative predictive value 90%. For FS, the sensitivity was 80%, specificity 98%, positive predictive value 92%, and negative predictive value 94%. Four false-negative results by FNAC were corrected by FS, and surgery was completed. Two false-positive results were identified by both FNAC and FS. FNAC is an important examination that provides valuable information for the preoperative diagnostic work-up and alerts the surgeon to the possible presence of malignancy. However, FNAC cannot be used alone, and FS has a very important place in the intraoperative management of parotid tumours.

Keywords: head and neck tumour; parotid gland; salivary glands; surgery.