A Prospective Study of Ultrasonographic and FNAC Correlation of Thyroid Swellings with Histopathology

The present study was undertaken to identify the complimentary role of high resolution ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in diagnosis of thyroid gland swelling pathology, also determine sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of both USG and FNAC and correlate it with histopathology report. Total 75 cases of thyroid swellings were evaluated in detail by taking history, doing clinical examination, USG, FNAC and histopathology. USG findings were correlated with the FNAC report. After thyroidectomy surgery, USG and FNAC results were followed up and correlated with histopathology report. Thyroid swellings were more common in the age group of 31-40 years (34.66%) with female preponderance 70(93.33%). According to USG diagnosis, most common benign thyroid swelling was multinodular goitre (37.33). Amongst all the thyroid swellings, on FNAC, 17(18.67%) cases were diagnosed as a malignancy. 12(16%) cases were of follicular carcinoma which was the most common in this study. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of USG was 86.66%, 91.66% and 90.66% respectively whereas sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of FNAC was 93.3%, 95% and 94.66% respectively. USG and FNAC are simple methods of diagnosing thyroid gland swellings. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of USG and FNAC for thyroid gland swellings was reasonably good. USG followed by FNAC increases the accuracy to diagnose various thyroid swellings so by which unnecessary thyroid gland surgery and hence complications can be avoided. However the most accurate and confirmatory diagnosis is given by histopathology.