Fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of palpable tumours in Rivers State, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing popularity of fine needle aspiration cytologic diagnosis of palpable tumours over histologic diagnosis despite the accuracy of histologic diagnosis.


OBJECTIVE
To compare cytologic and histologic diagnosis of palpable tumours in Rivers State.


METHODS
A prospective descriptive study at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Port Harcourt.


METHODS
Using the methods previously described, tumour aspirates were obtained and stained with Giemsa Hematoxylin and Eosin or pap as appropriate and covered with a cover slip.


RESULTS
One hundred and sixty seven (167) FNAC specimens from patients aged 3-74 years were studied. Most of the biopsies (81.6%) were obtained from patients below 50 years with the highest frequency in the age group 40-49 years (20.4%). Females predominated with a ratio of 5.2:1. The commonest tissue aspirated was the breast (51.5%) while the least was the salivary gland (1.2%). Out of the histologically confirmed cases, the FNAC was 85.6% accurate.


CONCLUSIONS
FNAC diagnosis of palpable tumors is accurate and reliable as histologic diagnosis if handled by an experienced pathologist.
Seleye-Fubara
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Anatomical Pathology Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. dsfubara@yahoo.com
Etebu
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000592:standards*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009549:Nigeria; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult