Descriptive analysis of fine needle aspiration cytology of the major salivary glands in the head and neck region

Introduction Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of a tumor is an important preoperative method used for cytological sampling in practice. Due to its easy application, cost-effectiveness, crucial diagnostic value, and minimal complications, it can be applied as a diagnostic standard for salivary gland tumors in ENT clinics. Its greatest benefit lies in differentiating between malignant and benign findings to guide treatment decisions.

Methods This project is a retrospective data analysis of 1918 cytological findings from FNAs conducted between September 2011 and September 2022 at the University Hospital of Cologne. Data such as Patient age, gender, site of puncture, number of slides, pathologist's experience, and the Milan Classification (MSRSGC) from 2015 were collected and analyzed.

Results The Avarage Age of the Patients was 58.8, 46% of the patients were female. 92% of the FNAs were from the parotid gland, while 8% were taken from the submandibular gland. On average, 3,3 (SD 5.56) smears per patient were taken and examined. The distribution of sites was 1:1 (50.7% vs. 49.3%). The Milan classification was distributed as follows: I 27%, II 20%, III 13%, IVA 34%, IVB 4%, V 3%, VI 4%.

Conclusion The present analysis is one of the largest studies on FNA of space-occupying lesions in the major salivary glands of the head. In approximately a quarter of the punctures, a diagnosis is not possible. The results following the evaluation of the Milan Classification show that in almost half of the cases (Milan Classification>III), operative histological confirmation and simultaneous operative repair are possible.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
19. April 2024