Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology, Frozen Section, and Open Biopsy: Relative Significance in Diagnosis of Musculoskeletal Tumors

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a minimally invasive technique used extensively in diagnosis of various tumors. Frozen section biopsy is known for its usefulness in assessing adequacy of margins of resection intraoperatively. This study assesses the usefulness and significance of these procedures in tumors of musculoskeletal origin. This study includes 91 patients and all the patients were subjected to a preoperative FNAC test on an outpatient basis. An open biopsy was done in every case under appropriate anesthesia and representative tumor tissue was sent for frozen section analysis. Out of 91 patients, FNAC was feasible in 78 patients. Out of the 78 patients aspirated, a type-specific diagnosis was made in 79.5% of cases (62 out of 78). Frozen section was possible in 85 cases. The percentage of specific diagnosis by frozen section in this study is 85.9% (73 out of 85) and overall diagnostic accuracy of 96.5% (82 out of 85). FNAC and frozen section are reliable diagnostic modalities, in the presence of clinico-radiological correlation, in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal tumors. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 12(4):203–207, 2003)