Fine Needle Aspiration of Parotid Tumors: Diagnostic Utility From a Clinical Perspective

Purpose The utility of fine needle aspiration (FNA) for parotid tumors is limited owing to its low diagnostic accuracy. In this study, the authors sought to analyze and interpret FNA results for parotid tumors from a clinical perspective. Materials and Methods Parotid tumors subjected to preoperative FNA and subsequent complete excision were the subject of this study. Patient demographics, medical records, FNA findings, and final pathology of 158 consecutive cases were analyzed. Results The accuracy of FNA was 77.8%. The positive predictive value and likelihood ratio for malignancy were 90.0% and 52.8% (95% confidence interval, 7.02-397), respectively. The positive predictive value and likelihood ratio for benign pathology of Warthin tumor plus pleomorphic adenoma were 97.8% and 7.67% (2.03-29.0), respectively. Conclusions The FNA diagnosis of Warthin tumor or pleomorphic adenoma is reliable and can be safely regarded as a benign tumor. Based on the high positive predictive value and likelihood ratio, FNA of the parotid gland can offer valuable information in surgical planning and patient counseling in many centers.