To summarise the role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the differential diagnosis of vascular anomalies from other lesions in the head and neck region by presenting five interesting cases reported from our hospital data.

Five patients ranging in age from 3 months to 25 years old were diagnosed with vascular anomalies based on their histories, clinical examinations, imaging examinations and ultrasonic testing. The previous diagnosis of these patients were corrected by fine needle aspiration cytology in our hospital and the proper treatment was administered.

Two cases were wrongly treated in a local hospital. All five of the patients underwent operations after excluding vascular anomalies by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Fine needle aspiration cytology should be used in the following situations to prevent misdiagnoses and the mistreatment as vascular anomalies: when imaging examination and ultrasonic testing lead to a diagnosis of vascular malformation, but the history or clinical examination does not confirm this diagnosis; when lesions are treated as "vascular malformations" by sclerotherapy, and the hydatid fluid is not like blood or lymph fluid; and when propranolol is used to treat the proliferation stage of "haemangiomas" with without any effect.