Objective To determine the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) on the preoperative presumptive diagnosis of ameloblastoma. Study Design Sixty-three patients, diag- nosed preoperatively and post- operatively with ameloblas- toma, were evaluated between 1990 and 2003. The patients were classified according to whether they were diagnosed with ameloblastoma preopera- tively or postoperatively, on histologic examination. Results The accuracy rate for ameloblastoma was 0.95% for all biopsy methods, while the incisional biopsy rate was 75.00%. Concerning clinical diagnosis, ameloblastoma was mistaken mostly (56.41%) for odontogenic cysts (22 of 39). Conclusion FNAC should be utilized more commonly on intraosseous and soft tissue lesions in the oral and maxillofacial regions, to obtain sufficient material. It is convenient, inexpensive and noninvasive as compared with other biopsy methods. (Acta Cytol 2005;49:38–42) Keywords: ameloblastoma, aspiration biopsy, oral neoplasms. A meloblastoma is a be - nign epithelial odonto- genic tumor. The clinical and radiographic appear- ance may simulate those of several odontogenic cysts and tumors. 1,2 Therefore, a preoperative clinical assess- ment may be impossible or deceptive due to the non- characteristic findings. The presence of a firm preoperative diagnosis helps pre- vent suboptimal surgery. Therefore, an accurate pre- operative diagnosis is essential. 3,4 Clinical and preop- erative presumptive diagnoses are different entities. Clinical diagnosis involves radiologic and clinical ex- aminations without biopsy. One of the most impor- tant components of a presumptive diagnosis is the choice of biopsy technique. It must be simple, rapid, noninvasive and safe. The aim of this study was to determine the role of FNAC should be utilized more commonly for intraosseous and soft tissue lesions in the oral and maxillofacial regions because of its convenience, low cost, rapidity and noninvasiveness.... Role of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Preoperative Presumptive Diagnosis of Ameloblastoma Özlem Üçok, D.D.S., Necdet Do˘ gan, D.D.S., Cahit Üçok, D.D.S., and Ömer Günhan, D.D.S. From the Departments of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and of Pathology, Gülhane Military Medical Acad- emy, and Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. Dr. Ö. Üçok is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy. Dr. Do˘ gan is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Gülhane Military Medical Academy. Dr. C. Üçok is Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara University. Dr. Günhan is Professor, Department of Pathology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy. Address reprint requests to: Cahit Üçok, D.D.S., Ankara Üniversitesi Dis Hekimligi Fakültesi, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey (cucok@dentistry. ankara.edu.tr). Financial Disclosure: The authors have no connection to any companies or products mentioned in this article. Received for publication January 15, 2004. Accepted for publication April 23, 2004. ACTA CYTOLOGICA 0001-5547/05/4901-0038/$19.00/0 © The International Academy of Cytology 38 FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION