title: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of soft tissue tumours (STT).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The cytological findings of 50 ST Ts were evaluated aiming to determine the role of FNA in diagnosis of STTs
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with soft tissue tumours underwent FNA in the preoperative investigation during a one year period. The smears were stained with Papanicolaou and May-Graunvald Giemsa stains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four cases were reported as benign, whereas 2 were malignant. Four cases revealed insufficient material. The malignant STTs were small round cell tumour and malignant spindle cell tumour. Cytological and histological correlation could be achieved in 40 cases. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 25% and 100% respectively with overall accuracy of 80%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A reliable diagnosis of STTs can be made with FNA when supported by other clinical and other diagnostic data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, Sinamangal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirachand
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lakhey
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singha
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Devkota
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akhter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*