A clinicopathological study of thyroid nodules

Abstract EN

Background : Nodular thyroid disease is very common and surgeons needs to differentiate benign from malignant nodules.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of malignancy (FNAC) can assist the surgeon to select the proper technique for thyroid nodule management.

The clinical parameters of patients with thyroid nodules were explored and the rate of malignancy was assessed.

As well, the role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of these nodules compared to histopathological findings was evaluated.

Patients and Methods: In the current prospective cross-sectional study, 79 patients diagnosed with thyroid swelling were undergone medical and clinical examinations, biochemical tests, and fine needle aspiration cytology at Azadi Teaching Hospital in Iraq in 2016.

Tissue specimens of thyroid were sent for histopathological diagnosis.

Results: Thyroid nodules were more common in female (84.

8%), the mean age was 40.

28 years.

The most common indication of surgical intervention was dysphagia.

Multi-nodular was the commonest type of thyroid nodules (73.

4%) followed by a follicular adenoma (8.

9%) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (7.

6%).

Prevalence of malignancy was 7.

6% and papillary thyroid cancer was the most common cancer (6.

3%).

Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy rate of fine needle aspiration cytology through histopathological diagnosis were 66.

7 %, 100 %, 100 %, 97.

3 %, and 97.

5%, respectively.

Conclusions: The most common types of thyroid nodules were a multi-nodular goiter, follicular adenoma, and thyroiditis.

Fine needle aspiration cytology is easily applicable and reliable method for thyroid nodules evaluation with an acceptable sensitivity.