Value of the cytological diagnosis in the treatment of parotid tumors.
OBJECTIVE
A cytological diagnosis is frequently used in the management of parotid tumor to distinguish benign from malignant tumors before surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of the cytological diagnosis in parotid tumors.


METHODS
Fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed in 110 patients undergoing a parotidectomy. The results were compared with the definitive histopathological findings, which are considered the standard diagnostic reference for comparative analysis.


METHODS
University hospital.


RESULTS
Correlation with histopathological results was observed in 83 (82.1%) cases. Discordance was observed in eight (8.2%) cases. The sensitivity and the specificity of the cytological diagnosis in the detection of malignant tumors were 67 and 96 percent, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The cytological diagnosis performed in parotid tumors permits differentiation of a benign from a malignant tumor in the majority of cases; however, it underestimates the diagnosis of malignant tumors.
Jafari
Alice
A
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Assistance Publique Hôitaux de Paris, Tenon Hospital, Paris, France. alice.jafari@tnn.aphp.fr
Royer
Benedicte
B
Lefevre
Marine
M
Corlieu
Pascal
P
Périé
Sophie
S
St Guily
Jean Lacau
JL
D000235:Adenolymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000473:pathology*; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D006801:Humans; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity