Comparative evaluation of the diagnostic results of fine-needle aspiration [FNA] cytology and pathology in the assessment of thyroid nodules

ABSTRACT

Fine-needle aspiration has become an accepted and cost-effective procedure for rapid diagnosis of thyroid lesions. The routine use of Fine-needle aspiration has reduced the rate of unnecessary surgery for thyroid nodules. This study was conducted to determine the accuracy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy diagnosis. During this cross-sectional study, reports of 600 fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid, performed during a period of 11 years [1991-2001] in departments of pathology of Shahid Rahnemoon and Shahid Sadoughi hospitals were reviewed. Pathological diagnosis were available for 28 cases. Cytological reports were classified diagnostically, and histological and cytological correlations were determined. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 13 and descriptive tests. From 600 cases [91 male, 509 female] the cytological diagnosis were as follows 526 [87.7%] benign, 28 [4.7%] malignant, 10 [1.6%] suspicious and 36 [6%] unsatisfactory. Between benign Lesions, goiter and follticular adenoma and between malignant lesions, papillary cell carcinomas were the most common. Malignant nodules were more common in females than males [4.9% versus 3.3%]. We identified no false-positive results between malignant FNA and histopathology and so positive predictive value was 100%. Fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid gland is highly accurate and has a Low rate of false-positive diagnosis in case of malignant results: