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Fine needle thyroid aspiration: university hospital experience
Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal
|August 1, 1987
Summary
Fine needle thyroid aspiration (FNTA) is a safe and reliable diagnostic tool for thyroid disease. This study found FNTA comparable to literature values, aiding in earlier cancer diagnosis and reducing unnecessary surgeries.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Fine needle thyroid aspiration (FNTA) is a key diagnostic procedure for thyroid nodules.
- Evaluating the diagnostic accuracy and safety of FNTA is crucial for clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic value and accuracy of FNTA at the University District Hospital (UDH).
- To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic accuracy of FNTA in thyroid disease evaluation.
Main Methods:
- FNTA was performed on 54 patients between December 1984 and December 1985.
- Surgical assessment was used to confirm FNTA results in 34 patients.
- Cytology results were classified into four categories: inadequate, benign, indeterminate, and malignant.
Main Results:
- FNTA demonstrated a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 65%, and diagnostic accuracy of 67%.
- Non-benign cytology (indeterminate or malignant) was observed in 14 patients, with 4 confirmed as carcinoma.
- Only one case of thyroid carcinoma was found among 19 patients with benign FNTA results.
Conclusions:
- FNTA at UDH showed diagnostic value comparable to published literature.
- FNTA is a safe and reliable tool that complements clinical data, reducing unnecessary thyroid surgeries.
- The procedure facilitates earlier diagnosis of malignant nodules and increases the carcinoma yield among operated patients.