Neoplastic and nonneoplastic ovarian masses: Diagnosis on cytology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the distinction between neoplastic and nonneoplastic ovarian masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with ovarian masses were studied. After detailed history and clinical examination, ultrasound (USG)-guided FNAC was performed in 92 clinical benign cases while FNAC and/or imprints of surgically resected ovarian masses was performed in 28 clinically suspected malignant cases. The smears were stained with Papanicolaou stain and histopathological sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain with inclusion of special stain whenever required. Serum β-human chorionic gonadotrophin and α-fetoprotein estimations were carried out in cytologically diagnosed germ cell tumors. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in diagnosing various ovarian masses were 79.2%, 90.6% and 89.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical examination, pelvic ultrasound and FNAC were complementary and none of the methods was, in itself, diagnostic. However, USG-guided FNAC was found to be a fairly specific and accurate technique and should be employed as a routine, especially in young females with clinically benign ovarian lesions. The reasons for false diagnosis and limitations of USG and FNAC have been analyzed.