17

M 67 y.o. FNA submandibular gland

Sialadenitis

Acute sialadenitis contains numerous neutrophils with admixture of metaplastic salivary gland duct cells. This can occasionally present problems in differential diagnosis from branchial cleft cyst and squamous cell carcinoma, particularly when the lesion is clinically mimicking tumour.
Chronic sialadenitis often yields a sparsely cellular smear because of the fibrosis replacing most of the gland tissue. This is particularly true in cases following radiation of the neck.
Aspirates often contain only a few cohesive and well-defined clusters of metaplastic salivary gland duct epithelium which can be mistaken for metastatic tumour in patients with a history of squamous cell carcinoma .