[Fine needle puncture biopsy and methods to image the thyroid gland in the diagnosis of nodular goiter]

A retrospective analysis of the findings of fine needle puncture biopsy of the thyroid in 256 patients operated on for nodular goiter is presented. Cytologic findings coincided with the histologic in 84.8% of cases. The coincidences were the most frequent in (multiple) nodular colloid goiter and thyroid cysts (95.7 = 100%) and the least so in solitary adenoma (65.4%) predominantly of a follicular structure. In thyroid cancer the data correlated in 75% of cases. The presence of cystous changes in adenoma made the investigation less informative. Findings of ultrasonic examination of the thyroid coincided with operative findings in 87.5% of patients with (multiple) nodular goiter and in 86.1% of those with adenomas. Ultrasonography as a method for thyroid imaging is preferable to scintigraphy (scanning) and is an optimal supplement to puncture biopsy of the thyroid.