Objective: To evaluate the cytological accuracy of fine needle aspiration (FNA) of solitary thyroid nodules in correlation with post-surgical histological findings.
Patients and Methods: A total of 105 patients with clinically palpable solitary thyroid nodules were included in the study. Thyroid function tests were initially performed. Subsequently, thyroid ultrasound and FNA of the thyroid nodules were performed exclusively for all euthyroid patients with normal TSH. Only 88 patients underwent thyroid surgery.
Results: One hundred (95%) patients were euthyroid and 5 (5%) were hyperthyroid. Thyroid ultrasound of euthyroid patients showed solid nodules in 44 (41%) patients, cystic nodules in 35 (31%) patients, multinodular goiter in 15 (12%) patients, diffuse enlargement of the gland in 6 (4%) patients. FNA showed benign lesions in 58 patients, no definite diagnosis in 13, papillary carcinoma in 13, follicular neoplasms in 11, autoimmune disease in 3 and Hurthle cell neoplasm in 2.
Conclusion: FNA of thyroid nodules had sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 90%. This procedure is cost effective, reliable and highly accurate for rapid diagnosis of thyroid disease, and has reduced the need for unnecessary surgery. (Rawal Med J 2008;33:221-224).
Key words: Thyroid nodules, fine-needle aspiration, TSH
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