DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY IN DIAGNOSIS OF NON-THYROIDAL NECK MASSES

Objective:neck masses.to determine the diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of nonthyroidal methodology:peshawar from january to december 2009. hundred patients with non-thyroidal neck masses fulfilling theinclusion criteria were included in the study. fine needle aspirations were performed by the samecytopathologist.this descriptive study was conducted at the department of ent, lady reading hospital results:lymphoproliferative disease 11%, pleomorphic adenoma 8%, thyroglossal cyst 5%, carotid body tumour4%, lipoma and branchial cysts were 3% each, sialolithiasis 2% and one case each of dermoid, sebaceouscyst, adenoid cystic carcinoma, kikuchi's disease and ewing's tumour. correlation of fnac with biopsywas for tb; true positive, 64.5%, true negative 29.03%, false positive 3.22%, false negative 3.22% and formetastatic lymph node true positive 57.89%, true negative 36.84%, false positive 5.26% and no case offalse negative. the diagnostic yield of fnac was for tb, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positivepredictive value and negative predictive value were 93.54%, 95.23%, 90%, 95.23% and 90% respectively.metastatic lymph nodes accuracy sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictivevalue were 94.73%, 100%, 87.5%, 91.66% and 100% respectively. overall diagnostic value of fnac innon-thyroidal neck masses with regard to accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value andnegative predictive value were 90%, 90%, 77.42%, 90.41%, 90.41%, and 88.89% respectively.the findings were tb 31%, metastatic lymph node 19%, reactive lymphadenopathy 9%, conclusion:open biopsy.fine needle aspiration cytology for non-thyroidal neck masses has equal diagnostic yield to