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[Comparative yield of fine needle biopsy and cytology of solid thyroid nodules]
J M López1, I E Cárdenas, C Campusano
1Departamento de Endocrinología, Metabolismo y Nutrición, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Santiago de Chile.
Background:
The correct management of thyroid nodules requires an accurate histological diagnosis to discard carcinoma.
Aim:
To assess the diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules as compared to cytology of the same sample and surgical biopsy.
Patients And Methods:
One hundred and forty three thyroid nodules were punctured with a 21 G needle under continuous aspiration obtaining a sample for cytological and histological diagnosis. Fifty patients were subjected to a thyroidectomy.
Results:
The age of studied patients ranged from 12 to 78 years old and 94% were female. Mean nodule diameter was 2.7 +/- 1.4 cm. Two percent of procedures were complicated with local hematomas, that subsided spontaneously. A diagnosis of cancer was reached in 16% of all patients and 46% of operated patients. Cytology had a 50% sensitivity, 87.5% specificity, a 89.4% positive predictive value and a 87.5% negative predictive value. The figures for fine needle aspiration biopsy were 82.6, 100, 100 and 87% respectively.
Conclusions:
Fine needle aspiration biopsy has a better diagnostic accuracy than cytology and is a simple and safe procedure.