ROLE OF FNAC IN DIAGNOSIS OF NON-THYROIDAL HEAD AND NECK LESIONS: A 2 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology ( FNAC) is of particular relevance in head and neck lesions because of easy accessibility, excellent patient compliance, minimally invasive nature of procedure and helping to avoid surgery in non-neoplastic lesions, inammatory conditions and also some tumors. To study the cytomorphological features Aims: of non-thyroidal head and neck lesions and to correlate FNAC results with HPE where biopsy is available. The study wa Observations: s conducted on 52 patients presenting with non-thyroidal head and neck swellings. Swellings arising from lymphnode forms largest group 34 (65.3%), salivary gland origion lesion comprised of 4(7.7%) cases and miscellaneous lesions comprised of 14 (27%) cases. In 16 patients surgical intervention and histopathological examination of specimen was undertaken. The sensitivity of FNAC then compared to HPE where available in diagnosing lymphnode lesion was 77.77% , salivary gland lesion was 100% and miscellaneous swellings was 100%. The overall sensitivity in the study in diagnosing non- thyroidal head and neck lesion was 87.5% . No major complication was recorded. FNAC is considered to be Conclusion: the most reliable technique in early diagnosis of various head and neck lesions so that proper intervention could be taken at earliest possible time in early stages and should be considered as rst line investigation in the evaluation of lesions in head and neck region