Background: The purpose of the present study was to assess the value of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in parotid masses.
Methods: A retrospective review was carried out of FNAC results in parotid masses and the findings compared to histology on subsequent parotidectomy.
Results: One hundred parotid masses were investigated. Eighty-six had the cytological diagnosis confirmed by histology, 14 had a different diagnosis at histology. In two of these 14, a malignancy was found where a non-neoplastic condition had been detected. In the other 12, various non-malignant lesions were wrongly identified by FNAC. Squamous cell carcinoma was the commonest parotid malignancy in the present study.
Conclusion: Fine-needle aspiration cytology was found to be an effective diagnostic tool in the hands of experienced pathologists at Christchurch Hospital, NZ.