Retrospective survey of the relationship between fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), frozen secti̇on and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods used in diagnosis of parotid tumors

The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB), Frozen Section and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) methods used to investigate parotid gland masses undergoing parotidectomy. Preoperative FNAB, MRI results and peroperative frozen section reports of 287 patients who applied to Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology between 2013 and 2017 for parotid gland mass compared with the permanent histopathological diagnosis in the resection material. The sensitivity of achieving accurate diagnosis of FNAB was 68.5%, it also had specificity of 94.1%, accuracy of 88.4%, positive predictive value of 77.1%, negative predictive value of 91.2%. The sensitivity of the frozen section analysis revealing the right diagnosis was 92.9%, it also had specificity of 97.2%, accuracy of 95.3%, positive predictive value of 96.3%, negative predictive value of 94.6%. The accuracy of MRI to detect lesions is 65.4% in pleomorphic adenoma, 87.5% in Warthin tumor, 56% in other tumors and 100% in non-neoplastic diseases. Total accuracy of MRI in all lesions was 71.25%. Although FNAB is an easy and reliable diagnostic method that is frequently used in parotid tumors, its results alone are not satisfactory. Frozen examination is a more powerful method. Although MRI is excellent in non-neoplastic lesions, it is especially successful in the diagnosis of Warthin tumor.