Salivary gland lesions with a prominent lymphoid component: cytologic findings and differential diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is an accepted technique for the preoperative diagnosis of salivary gland nodules. The majority of salivary gland nodules are pleomorphic adenomas and offer little difficulty in diagnosis. Most diagnostically difficult lesions fall into one of four morphologic categories represented by squamous-cell-containing lesions, clear cell neoplasms, neoplasms with a prominence of stromal material, and lymphocyte-containing lesions. Herein, we describe our experience with a series of 61 histologically confirmed cases in which the smears contained a prominent or predominant number of lymphocytes. The differential diagnosis is discussed and points of diagnostic aid enumerated.