Fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of orbital tumours.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was used for the diagnosis of 25 consecutive patients with orbital tumours. CT scan was used to locate the lesion accurately. In two cases of orbital sarcoma and three out of four cases of orbital meningeoma, pre-operative fine-needle biopsy provided the correct diagnosis for proper operative treatment. Post-operative histopathological examination of the tumours proved that the cytological diagnoses had been correct. Two cases were diagnosed as metastatic carcinomas, 4 as malignant lymphomas and 11 as chronic inflammatory lesions. Orbitotomies were performed in 3 cases only, and the cases were managed accordingly with radiation, chemotherapy or corticosteroids. With conservative treatment the results varied from arrest of the condition to total disappearance of the lesion. No complications were encountered as a result of orbital fine-needle biopsies. The procedure is simple, requiring only topical anaesthesia and if proper cytological service is available, invaluable diagnostic information is provided for proper clinical management. It can also be used if recurrence of orbital tumour is suspected and a new mass is seen by CT scan. The method may save the patient from unnecessary exploratory orbital surgery.