title: Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the preoperative presumptive diagnosis of ameloblastoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) on the preoperative presumptive diagnosis of ameloblastoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three patients, diagnosed preoperatively and postoperatively with ameloblastoma, were evaluated between 1990 and 2003. The patients were classified according to whether they were diagnosed with ameloblastoma preoperatively or postoperatively, on histologic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The accuracy rate for ameloblastoma was 0.95% for all biopsy methods, while the incisional biopsy rate was 75.00%. Concerning clinical diagnosis, ameloblastoma was mistaken mostly (56.41%) for odontogenic cysts (22 of 39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FNAC should be utilized more commonly on intraosseous and soft tissue lesions in the oral and maxillofacial regions, to obtain sufficient material. It is convenient, inexpensive and noninvasive as compared with other biopsy methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uçok
authors.forename: Necdet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.forename: Cahit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uçok
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Günhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies