title: Role of fine needle aspiration, imprint and scrape cytology in the evaluation of intraoral lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary goal of our study was to evaluate the value and accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of various intraoral lesions and to correlate the cytological diagnosis with final histopathological findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fine needle aspiration was performed in 229 patients presented with different lesions of the oral cavity at our institution. Cytological findings were then compared with final histopathological diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a male to female ratio of 1.79:1, 229 patients presented with different lesions of the oral cavity were aspirated. Histopathological correlation was available in 86.9% of cases while inadequate material was obtained in 13.1% cases. The diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration in diagnosing benign, pre-malignant and malignant lesions were 95.8%, 84.6% and 97% respectively. Overall the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in diagnosing intraoral lesions was 94.9% with sensitivity and specificity of 93.2% and 96.8% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FNAC of intraoral lesion is recommended as a valuable procedure for the initial evaluation of all intraoral lesions as it is simple, inexpensive, convenient and comfortable to the patient. Moreover, it can offer a rapid and accurate diagnosis for further management of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Nazoora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Nishat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Afroz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Aiman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Mohd Jaseem
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dr. Z.A. Dental College, A.M.U., Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sarwat Hussain
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hashmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Syed Abrar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hasan
keywords: Benign oral lesions; fine needle aspiration cytology; histopathological correlation; malignant oral lesions; oral lesions