Comparison of the Results of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Specimens and Permanent Histopathologic Preparation in Orbital Mass Lesions

Background and Objectives: We aimed at evaluating the efficacy of fine needle aspiration bi- opsy (FNA) in comparison with histopathology and demonstrating whether cytological study could be a proper diagnostic tool in orbital mass lesions. Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study during 36 months, patients referred to our ophthalmologic center affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, for evaluation of or- bital masses, were selected for FNA. After the surgery, the results of FNA were compared against histopathologic diagnoses as our gold standard method. Finally, the frequencies of specimen ade- quacy, the accuracy of FNA in distinguishing benign and malignant lesions and in the exact de- finitive diagnosis of the disorders were reported. Results: In 27.4% of the total 62 cases, the specimens were inadequate for cytologic evaluations. The rate of specimen adequacy in malignant and benign lesions was 82.6 % and 66.66%, respec- tively. From the morphologic point of view, the rate of the exact definitive diagnosis of malignant and benign disorders in the total 62 cases was 78.2% and 38.46% and; in the adequate specimens, it was 94.73% and 57.69%, respectively. There was no false positive FNA result for malignant cells and only in one malignant case, the FNA report was falsely negative. All data wee analyzed by SPSS software and p value 0.05 was considered as significant. Conclusion: FNA was considered more beneficial in the diagnosis of malignant lesions. FNA is a relatively noninvasive, rapid, specific, and accurate method for the preoperative primary diagno- sis of orbital mass lesions and especially in malignant lesions and in some conditions, specific diagnoses can be achieved.