Year : 2026

Volume : Volume 17

Issue : Issue 1

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Renu Midha
middhalab@gmail.com

Abstract

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a minimally invasive, rapid, and cost-effective first-line diagnostic tool for evaluating head-and-neck lesions. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic utility, spectrum, and accuracy of FNAC in a series of 74 patients presenting with head-and-neck masses. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over 18 months, including 74 patients who underwent FNAC for palpable head-and-neck lesions. Smears were stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa and Papanicolaou stains. Cytological diagnoses were categorized as inadequate, benign, suspicious/malignant, or malignant. Histopathological correlation was available in 32 cases. Results: The patients’ age ranged from 4 to 78 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. The most common site was the lymph node (43.2%), followed by the thyroid (29.7%) and salivary glands (18.9%). Cytologically, 66 (89.2%) smears were adequate for diagnosis. The diagnostic distribution was benign 58 (78.4%), malignant 12 (16.2%), suspicious for malignancy 2 (2.7%), and inadequate 2 (2.7%). Among lymph node lesions, reactive hyperplasia was the most common benign diagnosis, while metastatic squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant malignancy. In the thyroid, colloid goiter and lymphocytic thyroiditis were common benign findings. Histopathological correlation in 32 cases showed a diagnostic accuracy of 96.9%, with a sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 100% for detecting malignancy. Conclusion: FNAC is a highly accurate and reliable technique for the primary diagnosis of head-and-neck lesions. It effectively differentiates inflammatory from neoplastic processes, guides further management, and reduces the need for open diagnostic biopsies in a significant number of patients.