Fine needle aspiration cytology study of spectrum of neck masses in a tertiary care hospital

Neck lesions are frequently encountered in clinical practice and found responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Palpable lesions in the region of the head and neck include a wide differential diagnosis including inflammatory lesions and neoplasms. The sensitivity and specificity of fine-needle aspiration biopsy in detecting a malignancy range from 77% to 97% and 93% to 100%, respectively. Fine needle-aspiration cytology (FNAC) represents a relatively accurate, inexpensive and rapid technique for elucidation of the etiology of neck masses. It can be performed as an OPD procedure and is well accepted by the patients. Lymphadenitis accounted for the majority of the cases (36.1%) of which Reactive Lymphadenitis was the commonest followed by granulomatous lymphadenitis. Metastatic tumors accounted for 26.6% of the cases followed by thyroid swellings (21.5%). Squamous cell carcinoma (10.2%) was the most common metastatic lesion while colloid goiter (17.4%) predominate in the thyroid swellings. Histopathological correlation was carried out wherever feasible. In our study, Lymphadenitis accounted for the majority of the cases followed by metastatic lesions of the neck.