Diagnostic Value of Frozen Section Compared with Permanent Pathology Results for Detection of Characteristics of Head and Neck Tumors

Background: This study aimed to determine the diagnostic values of frozen section compared with permanent pathology results for detection of characteristic of head and neck tumors. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 88 patients suffered from head and neck tumors and operated during 2010-2015 in Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran, were enrolled. The results of frozen section and permanent pathology were extracted from hospital records and sensitivity, specificity, false negative, false positive, and negative and positive predictive values were calculated for frozen section. Findings: Sensitivity, specificity, false negative, false positive, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were as 89.8%, 94.4%, 5.6%, 10.2%, 95.7%, and 87.2%, respectively; and the accuracy of frozen section was 91.8%. Conclusion: Frozen section test during surgeries is a good and valuable method for detection of characteristic of head and neck tumors. But, enough pathologist experience and precision of sampling by surgeon can lead to increase the accuracy rate of frozen section which finally leads to decrease of reoperation and relapse of disease, and better prognosis.