The Salivary Glands

The first line of approach in the diagnosis of salivary gland masses is to perform a fine needle aspiration (FNA). The use of ultrasound (US) to guide the needle and sample the most appropriate area of the lesion in small palpable or non-palpable lesions greatly improves the diagnostic accuracy and helps planning the most appropriate clinical management. This chapter covers the cytology of salivary gland lesions using a cell pattern approach and follows the fifth edition of the World Health Organization classification of salivary gland pathologies from 2022 with incorporation of new entities and reclassification of existing ones, and emphasis on the genetic alterations. Molecular, immunohistochemistry and ultrasound features of most lesions are described. Cytology photomicrographs, US figures, and video clips complement the text.