A study of the importance of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of the solitary thyroid nodule.
The results of 287 fine needle aspirations (FNAs) of the thyroid, performed between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1986, were retrospectively analysed with respect to clinical history, physical examination, scintigraphy and echoscopy, and compared with the results of the histological examination of thyroid tissue removed from the 65 patients who were operated. Except for the follicular tumour group, FNA examination proved to be the best method for differentiating benign and malignant lesions. The specificity was found to be 48%, the sensitivity 86%. The only value of scintigraphy and echoscopy appears to be in their supporting role. Based on these results a new strategy for the evaluation of thyroid nodules is proposed, in which the FNA examination has a more important place in the diagnosis than before.
Gelderblom
A J
AJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam.
vd Hoek
W
W
Lips
P T
PT
Risse
E K
EK
Meijer
C J
CJ
D000367:Age Factors; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology