[Fine-needle biopsy of cold thyroid nodules]

In retrospect we analysed 175 fine needle aspiration biopsies, performed on 154 patients with a palpable, solitary, 'cold', thyroid nodule. In contrast to conventional diagnostic methods such as ultrasound and scintigraphy fine needle aspiration is a highly specific method for the detection of thyroid cancer. We found a significant difference in the frequency of thyroid carcinoma between patients operated because of cytological diagnosis and patients operated because of clinical suspicion of cancer, 44% and 20% respectively. We conclude that fine needle aspiration is a major step forward in the evaluation of solitary thyroid nodules.