AbstractIntroduction: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a cost effective, easy procedure in the diagnosis of breast lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of the procedure are high when combined with clinical examination and imaging. Its accuracy in many situations avoids any unnecessary surgical procedures. Aims and Objectives: The present study was undertaken to know the accuracy of FNAC in Evaluation of various breast lesions and its histopathological correlation. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted over duration of 8 months from January 2019 to August 2019. Needle aspiration was done in 100 cases presenting with breast lesions. Histopathology correlation was done in 33 cases. Results: Fibroadenoma was the most common lesions. Malignancy was reported in 16 cases. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were found to be 90%, 100%, 100%, 95.83% and 96.96% respectively. Conclusion: The FNAC of breast is cheap, safe, and highly accurate method for diagnosis of breast lump preoperatively to avoid undue surgery. Our study concluded that an occasional false negative case makes it mandatory to biopsy and subject it for histopathological examination before mastectomy where the diagnosis of malignancy on cytology is suspicious.
Keywords: FNAC; Breast; Biopsy; Benign; Malignant; Fibroadenoma; Ductal carcinoma.