Morphology to morphometry in cytological evaluation of thyroid lesions

Area of Science:

• Cytopathology
• Oncology
• Quantitative Biology

Background:

• Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is crucial for thyroid nodule evaluation.
• Distinguishing benign from malignant thyroid lesions requires precise diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate cytomorphometric features in fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of thyroid lesions.
• To assess the utility of quantitative nuclear parameters in differentiating thyroid neoplasms.

Main Methods:

• Morphometric analysis of 36 thyroid FNAC cases using image analysis software.
• Measurement of nuclear parameters including diameter, perimeter, area, LS ratio, and NACV.
• Statistical analysis using ANOVA to compare features across different thyroid lesion types.

Main Results:

• Follicular carcinomas exhibited a higher largest to smallest dimension (LS) ratio compared to adenomatous goiters.
• Anaplastic carcinomas demonstrated significantly increased mean nuclear diameter and perimeter.
• Follicular neoplasms showed the least nuclear dimensions among the studied subtypes.

Conclusions:

• Quantitative cytomorphometry of nuclear features can significantly enhance preoperative assessment of thyroid lesions.
• Nuclear parameter analysis complements traditional morphological evaluation in thyroid FNAC.
• Objective measurements provide valuable data for improved diagnostic accuracy in thyroid pathology.