The Accuracy of Fine Needle Aspiration on Superficial Palpable Body Masses in Patients at Tikrit City

Abstract

Background: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is accepted as the diagnostic procedure of choice in the management of superficial palpable body masses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration with histopathological confirmation when it is performed by experienced hands to get more reliable results. Objective: To evaluate the accuracy and diagnostic performance of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of superficial body masses. Method: A relative study was performed using computer database over a 5 years period. A total of 1162 fine needle aspirations done for patients being evaluated for clinically palpable masses were included in this study from breast, thyroid, lymph nodes, soft tissue, salivary glands, skin and testes. The FNA were interpreted as benign, inconclusive “suspicious”, malignant and unsatisfactory “inadequate”. Cases were performed and interpreted by experienced cytopathologists. The FNA results were compared with histopathological reports after surgical biopsy. Results: FNA was diagnostic in 92.2% of patients with diagnostic accuracy of 97.9%. There were 9 false negative and one false positive for malignant diagnosis. The overall sensitivity of FNA was 95.9% and the specificity was 99.6%, using either histopathology or follow up, the positive predictive value was 99.5% and the negative predictive value was 96%. Conclusion: Highly reliable results can be obtained when patients are referred to specialty-trained cytopathologist for FNA biopsy of superficial palpable mass lesion.