Vol. 1, Issue 2, Part A (2018)

Introduction: Head and neck swellings present perplexing diagnostic ambiguity and encompass a wide range of pathologies, from benign inflammatory lesions to neoplasms. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is regarded as the primary diagnostic technique with excellent specificity for identifying palpable head and neck lesions, hence obviating the necessity for surgical intervention. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of FNAC as a diagnostic instrument for head and neck lesions.

Materials and Methods: Ninety-eight patients with palpable head and neck lesions in individuals over 14 years of age attending the pathology department for fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) were included. All discernible swellings in the head and neck region were aspirated for evaluation. The results of the histological study were compared with the findings from FNAC.

Results: Cervical lymph node swellings (35.17%) are the most prevalent, followed by thyroid gland swellings (28.57%), salivary gland swellings (15.03%), soft tissue swellings (14.28%), and swellings of the lips/oral cavity/nose (6.12%). The diagnostic findings indicated a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 92.10%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 93%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 84%, and diagnostic accuracy of 91.30%.

Conclusion: FNAC is an efficacious diagnostic technique for head and neck swellings, demonstrating exceptional diagnostic accuracy and serving as a valuable complement in the preoperative evaluation of these swellings.