title: Fine needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer and thyroid disease.
abstract: Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) performed for diffuse and nodular goiter in the past 5 years, was evaluated in 1399 cases. Surgery was performed on the basis of FNAB cytologic diagnosis that was positive or suggestive of malignancy and/or a suggestive clinical history. Surgery also was performed in cases of cold nodules with negative FNAB results that did not respond to 6 months of suppressive thyroxine therapy. A correlation of cytologic findings with histologic findings was possible in 415 patients who underwent surgery: the evaluation of FNAB results yielded better results when suspicious cytologic findings were considered to be positive (2.4% false-negative, 86.3% sensitivity) rather than negative (6.5% and 65.7%, respectively). FNAB has become a useful procedure in the study and diagnosis of thyroid diseases. It is a simple, rapid diagnostic procedure that may be used to expedite the management of malignant lesions.
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006042:Goiter / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery