title: A fourteen year practice with the fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid in an endemic area.
abstract: In our institute from 1970 to 1983 12,829 fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNB) of the thyroid were cytologically examined. Cytologically unsatisfactory specimens were found in 17.7%. 2,709 patients with representative cytological findings were operated and histological examinations were performed. The cytological and histological findings were correlated. There was a false-negative rate of 2.0% and a false-positive rate of 18.4%. Furthermore we divided the results into two time periods (1970-1977 and 1978-1983) because of a change in the indication for surgery in the last years. Although the indication has changed, cytological findings of both time periods investigated were almost similar.
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006801:Humans; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology