The significance and limits of cytologic diagnosis in myoepithelial sialadenitis

In case of myoepithelial sialadenitis cytological diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration biopsy is not a reliable measure, because the typical islets of myoepithelial cells can be demonstrated by cytology in only 6% of cases. Since lymphocytic infiltrations dominate the histological aspect a cytological specimen that contains these cell elements, may be taken as an indication for the presence of myoepithelial sialadenitis if a sicca syndrome exists at the same time. If a non-Hodgkin lymphoma has to be suspected after cytology, this must be followed by a histological verification (despite the fact that this suspicion was unfounded in all the cases mentioned here), because it is well known that in myoepithelial sialadenitis there is a danger of transformation into a malignant lymphoma. By detailed anamnestic data, especially by mentioning an existing sicca syndrome, the clinician can help the cytologist in assessing his findings properly.