BACKGROUND: To establish a prospective study to verify the correlation between the cytopathologic diagnosis obtained through FNA and the hystopathologic diagnosis of the lesions from the maxillofacial region of patients at the Buco-Maxilofacial Surgery and Traumatology Service. METHOD: Analysis of the results from cytologic and histopathological diagnosis issued by the Pathologic Anatomy Service of the Antônio Pedro University Hospital (UFF, Niterói-RJ, Brazil). Forty-five patient who underwent FNA followed by incisional or excisional biopsy, were selected. Cases in which information was incomplete were excluded. RESULTS: The total number of cases selected was 45. The diagnostic accuracy obtained was of 77.8% (35) in FNA cytopathology, with a 100% in specificity and sensibility. CONCLUSION: The cytopathology performed through FNA is an efficient initial diagnostic method, with low cost, painless, and quickly accomplished, which helps the identification of the lesion's nature and allows the professional a more accurate evaluation for the surgical or therapeutic approach.
Biopsy, needle; Mouth; Mouth mucosa; Mouth diseases