Correlation between Ultrasonography and Fine-needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Various Benign Neck Lesions

Introduction: Benign neck swellings are common clinical findings that include a variety of lesions such as thyroid nodules, lymphadenopathy, salivary gland tumors, and congenital cysts. Accurate diagnosis is essential to differentiate benign from malignant lesions and guide appropriate management. Ultrasonography (USG) and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) are widely used diagnostic tools with complementary roles. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted over one year at a rural hospital in South India involving 100 patients aged 18 years and above presenting with benign neck swellings. All patients underwent USG, FNAC, and histopathological examination (HPE) following excisional biopsy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of USG and FNAC were calculated by correlating results with histopathology. Observations and Results: The study included 72 females and 28 males, with the highest incidence in the 31–40 year age group. Reactive lymphadenopathy was the most common lesion followed by benign thyroid nodules and salivary gland tumors. FNAC demonstrated higher sensitivity (94.5%), specificity (97.5%), and diagnostic accuracy (96%) compared to USG, which showed 91.8% sensitivity, 94.1% specificity, and 93% accuracy. Combined use of USG and FNAC further improved diagnostic precision with sensitivity of 97.3%, specificity of 98.2%, and overall accuracy of 97.5%. Conclusion: USG and FNAC are effective, complementary diagnostic modalities for benign neck swellings. Their combined use enhances diagnostic accuracy, enabling better clinical decision-making and reducing unnecessary surgeries.