The diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration cytology in Waldeyer's ringlymphomas

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a well-established diagnostic tec hnique for tumours in the head and neck area. In recent years FNAC has been established as an accurate and useful method for the diagnosis of nodal ma lignant lymphoproliferative disease. The purpose of the present study was t o determine and evaluate the accuracy of FNAC in the diagnosis of primary m alignant lymphoma of Waldeyer's ring. The cases of 29 patients suffering fr om tumours of the oro- and nasopharynx, in which the diagnosis of lymphoma was established by FNAC during the years 1991-1998, were collected and anal ysed. Twelve of the patients had a previous history of lymphoma, and FNAC w as used to establish the diagnosis of recurrent disease. In 17 patients wit h no previous history of malignancy FNAC was used to diagnose primary extra nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs). In two patients FNAC failed to diagno se NHL. In all patients cytological findings were complemented and compared with those of a histopathological examination after open biopsy. In two ca ses a difference in the specific histological type of the lymphoma was note d. The findings from the present study (sensitivity 93.10% and positive pre dictive value 100%) indicated that FNAC is a useful and accurate method in establishing diagnosis of Waldeyer's ring lymphomas. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.