title: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of salivary gland tumours: repeat aspiration provides further information in cases with an unclear initial cytological diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for salivary gland tumours requires expertise in interpretation. When a diagnosis is not clear (despite a cellular aspirate), published work is lacking on the value of repeating the test.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of 135 patients who had FNAC followed by definitive excision for a suspected salivary gland tumour. Accuracy was compared among those requiring repeat FNAC on one more occasion because of a non-diagnostic initial cytology report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  33 patients (24% of study group) had repeat FNAC. A definite cytological diagnosis was subsequently made in 27/33 patients (82%). The sensitivity (84%) and specificity (93%) of repeat FNAC in distinguishing benign from malignant tumours was similar to initial FNAC (70% and 95%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Repeat FNAC may provide a cytological diagnosis in cases where the initial diagnosis is not clear, although cytology should be used in conjunction with other investigations of salivary tumours, including image-guided biopsy examination where appropriate. Ideally salivary gland FNAC should be interpreted by a specialist pathologist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK. Peter.brennan@porthosp.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Benedict
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poller
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bayne
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puxeddu
authors.forename: Rachel S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Oeppen
mesh_terms: D000235:Adenolymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional