Role of fine-needle aspiration in the management of thyroid nodules.
OBJECTIVE
To show the benefits of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in managing thyroid nodules.


METHODS
As a retrospective study, reports of 888 FNABs of the thyroid performed during a period of 11 years (1996-2007) at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sina Hospital and Endocrine Clinic, Tehran, Iran were reviewed. Histological diagnoses were available for 182 cases, and we compared cytological diagnoses of FNAB with pathologic reports.


RESULTS
The cytology diagnoses by FNAB were: papillary 6 (3.2%); follicular neoplasm 51 (28%); follicular adenoma 10 (5.4%); Hurthle cell neoplasm 8 (4.3%); suspicious 20 (10.9%); inconclusive 2 (1%); and benign 85 (46.4%). Due to surgery pathologic reports, malignant cytologies were: 6 (100%) for papillary, 1 (1.96%) for follicular neoplasm, 4 (50%) for Hurthle cell neoplasm. In suspicious reports, 11 (55%) reports of pathology were malignant; and in inconclusive reports, one report (50%) was malignant.


CONCLUSIONS
Fine needle aspiration is a useful technique for selecting patients with nodular thyroid disease for surgery.
Department of Internal Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sina Hospital, Imam Khomeini Ave., Tehran 11364, Iran. Mofid@tums.ac.ir.
Ali R
AR
Mofid
Tahereh
T
Yazdani
Maryam
M
Shahrzad
Seyedahmad
S
Seyedalinaghi
Saeed
S
Zandieh
D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery