Diagnostic value of fine-needle aspiration combined with ultrasound for thyroid cancer

Diagnostic value of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) combined with ultrasound for thyroid cancer was evaluated. A retrospective analysis was performed on the preoperative FNA and ultrasound data of 165 thyroid nodule patients, were divided into group A (≤1 cm group) and group B (>1 cm group) based on the maximum diameter line of the thyroid nodule. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FNA, ultrasound and FNA combined with ultrasound in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer were analyzed and compared. In group A (≤1 cm group), the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FNA in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer were 93.33, 71.43, 91.04, 96.55 and 55.56%, respectively, those of ultrasound were 86.67, 28.57, 80.60, 91.23 and 20%, respectively, and those of FNA combined with ultrasound were 100, 28.57, 92.54, 92.6 and 100%, respectively, with statistically significant differences in the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value between FNA, ultrasound and FNA combined with ultrasound (P<0.05). In group B, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FNA in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer were 100, 54.55, 94.90, 94.57 and 100%, respectively, those of ultrasound were 96.55, 72.73, 93.88, 96.55 and 72.73%, respectively, and those of FNA combined with ultrasound were 100, 63.64, 97.96, 95.92 and 100%, respectively, without statistically significant differences in the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value between FNA, ultrasound and FNA combined with ultrasound (P>0.05). FNA combined with ultrasound significantly improved the sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of the thyroid nodule in group A, but it did not significantly improve the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of the thyroid nodule in group B.