[Fine-needle aspiration biopsy and cytologic diagnosis in thyroid disease-a 3-year experience]

Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) is a morphological method, which may bridge the diagnostic gap between initial clinical and sonographic examination and histological diagnosis in thyroid disease. Our study was aimed at a review of 3-year aspiration cytology of the thyroid gland in clinical practice. 175 FNA were assessed (165 in females and 10 in males). Aspiration biopsy was performed using 20 to 23 G needles and aspirates were stained after Pappenheim. The highest number of performed FNA was between 40 and 60 yrs of age. The most commonly observed clinical diagnosis requiring FNA included multinodular goiter, Hashimoto thyroiditis and thyroid adenoma. These were also the most common cytological findings. Unsatisfactory specimens were found in 21% of aspirates. Most pitfalls were found in cases of multinodular goiter and Hashimoto thyroiditis. Our results are comparable to those of other clinical centers. They reflect the age-adjusted incidence of thyroid disease. We conclude that combination of ultrasound tomography, aspiration puncture, and cytological evaluation improves the diagnosis of thyroid disease and reduces the duration of the examination.