Advantages and

Pitfalls of FNAC
In Diagnosis Of Diseases

Presented by:
DEBAYAN KARMAKAR
(8th Semester)
Advantages
of FNAC
 Advantages ofFNAC

1. Simple office technique – outpatient or

bedside procedure

2. Rapid diagnosis – cells can be fixed , stained

and examined within minutes

3. Economical – cost effective

4. Sampling from multiple sites in the same

sitting
 Advantages ofFNAC

5. High diagnostic accuracy – in case of deep

lesion ultrasound or radiological guidance may be
used to ensure that the needle enters the lesion.

6. Small size of the needle avoids damage to vital

structure in the head and the neck
Many Techniques…

Immunocytochemistr
y
Bacterial Culture
Flow Cytometry Possible
from
Polymerase Chain FNAC
Reaction material
Cytogenetics
1. Treatment options including preoperative
counselling can be investigated earlier
without any need for further diagnostic
surgery
2. Exact cytological diagnosis are made
before definitive surgery are made.
3. Cyst can be diagnosed easily with this
procedure by aspirating
4. Painless no anaesthesia required
5. Requires little equipment
 FNAC BIOPSY
Diagnosis- CYTOLOGICAL HISTOPATHOLOGICAL

Diagnosis difficulty – BROAD NARROW

Anesthesia – NO YES

Length of procedure – LESS MORE

Report available – LESS THAN 24 HOURS 2-4 DAYS

Cost – LOW MORE

Trauma – LITTLE TO NEGLIGIBLE YES

Disadvantages
of FNAC
Disadvantage of FNAC

1. Requires practice and skills

2. Samples obtained may not be representative of the
lesion
3. Requires expert in diagnostic the lesion
4. Relation with underlying tissue not possible
5. Serious complication (rare) – major haemorrhage
septicemia, bile peritonitis ,acute pancreatitis, etc.
6. May cause local tissue changes could render
subsequent histological diagnosis difficult.
Disadvantage of FNAC

7. Possibly can give false negative result.

8. Cannot distinguish in situ carcinoma
from invasive carcinoma.
9. Cannot give idea of the whole tissue
architecture.
10. The extent or depth of infiltration can’t
be assesed
11. A FNAC smear can ba examined over a
Short period of time only.
Contraindication
of FNAC
Contraindication ofFNAC

1. Bleeding at site of FNAC

2. Emphysema

3. Pulmonary hypertension

4. Pancreatitis

5. Bacterimia / septicimia
THANK
YOU