Difficulties in the aspiration cytodiagnosis of the neck tumors

: Since 1971 FNA is used at the ENT Department Medical Academy in Warsaw in the diagnosis of the neck and head tumors. This method was effective in 87.4% of cases. Among 382 biopsies of the neck tumors performed in 1980-1990, in which FNA results were compared with histopathology, in 12.6% of cases the false diagnosis was found. There were malignant primary tumors, cervical lymph nodes metastases, nonmalignant neck neoplasms, neck cysts and inflammations. The retrospective investigations of the smears allowed us to find out whether the false diagnosis depends on inappropriate interpretation of the smears or the diagnosis is really impossible to establish. The retrospective studies are very helpful for the better understanding of the malignant criteria and for the improvement of the results of the cytodiagnosis in the head and neck tumors.