title: Image-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology of ovarian tumors: An assessment of diagnostic efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Image-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of ovarian lumps is being increasingly used for the successful diagnosis of ovarian tumors, although borderline cases may be difficult to diagnose by this method.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the efficacy of image-guided FNAC in diagnosing ovarian tumors (benign and malignant) and to evaluate the usefulness of cytology as a mode of easy and rapid diagnosis of ovarian lumps.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 42 female patients. Clinical evaluation and relevant investigations were carried out. Diagnosis was established by FNAC performed under image guidance (ultrasonography/computed tomography). The cytological diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cytological diagnosis was rendered on all the 42 ovarian lesions, with a correct diagnosis in 34 cases, resulting in a diagnostic accuracy of 80.9%. Most of the cases with discordant diagnoses were surface epithelial tumors of low malignant potential and required histopathological examination for a final diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Image-guided FNAC is an inexpensive, rapid and fairly accurate procedure for the diagnosis of ovarian lesions. It provides a safe alternative to the more expensive, time consuming and cumbersome surgical route to diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, UP, India.
authors.forename: Ghazala
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mehdi
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.forename: Sheerin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Hena A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Maryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ansari