Fine needle aspiration biopsy of salivary gland tumours. Problems and pitfalls.
A review of all fine needle aspiration biopsies of salivary gland lesions performed at the Flinders Medical Centre during a 9-year period revealed a number of cases in which there was a discrepancy between the initial cytology report and the definitive diagnosis by histology examination. The most common problem was that of atypical features in pleomorphic adenoma, raising a suspicion of a low-grade malignant tumour in 4 cases. One mucoepidermoid carcinoma and one acinic cell carcinoma had been wrongly diagnosed as Warthin's tumours on the basis of the presence of sheets of bland epithelial cells with oncocyte-like cytoplasm. One trabecular monomorphic adenoma was misdiagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma, and one adenoid cystic carcinoma as pleomorphic adenoma. The cytologic patterns of these cases are presented and discussed.
Orell
S R
SR
Department of Histopathology, Fliniders Medical Centre, Adelaide.
Nettle
W J
WJ
D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*