English

Abstract

BACKGROUND Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a method for the diagnosis of superficial lesions like swellings of the salivary glands since many years. The present study was undertaken to identify the patterns of salivary gland lesions (SGL) on FNAC and histopathology specimens and also describe the age and sex distribution of SGL. METHODS A total 319 cases of SGL were studied from June 2009 to July 2019 which included both retrospective and prospective cases. A detailed history was taken, clinical and necessary laboratory investigations were done; and then FNAC of salivary gland was done. Histopathology examination of specimens was done whenever available; FNAC and histopathology slides of retrospective cases were reviewed. Correlation between cytomorphology and histomorphology was done only where available. RESULTS The majority of cases was in the age group of 21 - 40 years (42.98 %) with female predominance (53 %) and commonest gland involved was parotid gland (52.97 %) in both the sexes. 138 (43 %) cases were non-neoplastic lesions and 181 (57 %) were diagnosed as neoplastic lesions. Of the 138 non neoplastic lesions, on cytology and histopathology, sialadenitis constituted 110 (79.71 %) cases; most being chronic sialadenitis (107). Out of 181 neoplastic lesions, 142 (77.78 %) were benign while 39 (22.22 %) cases were malignant. Pleomorphic adenoma was the commonest benign neoplasm (71.27 %) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (66.69 %) was the commonest malignant neoplasm. Histopathological correlation was available in 37 cases. CONCLUSIONS FNAC is useful as an outdoor diagnostic procedure because of the availability of earlier diagnosis in comparison with the histopathological diagnosis. Histopathology correlation is helpful in cases where diagnosis at FNAC is difficult. KEYWORDS FNAC, Salivary Glands, Histopathology, Specimens, Cytomorphology, Sialadenitis, Pleomorphic Adenoma, Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma