A study of thyroid lesions using fine needle aspiration cytology technique

Abstract

Background
Thyroid swellings are very common and can occur in various clinical settings and in various age groups. The modalities of treatment differ in different conditions. Some require therapeutic management and some others surgery. FNAC was proved to be the single most sensitive investigation in differentiating neoplastic from non- neoplastic conditions, and benign from malignant conditions. At present this procedure is utilized extensively in diagnosing the condition and planning for surgery in necessary cases thus decreasing the unnecessary surgeries
Objective(s)
To prove the importance of FNAC as the first line diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of goiter. To study the scope of FNAC in differentiating neoplastic from non neoplastic lesion and its role as a diagnostic tool in picking up unsuspected malignancies and metastatic malignancies.
Methods
This study was conducted in the department of Pathology, on patients with thyroid swellings who attended the Medical, Surgical & ENT OPs. FNAC full clinical examination of the patient was done and data like present, past and personal history of the patient along with laboratory investigations including thyroid profile and ultrasound reports were collected. FNAC was done as an outpatient procedure.
Results
Out of the 330 cases diagnosed, majority were non neoplastic lesions (276) neoplastic were (54). Nodular goiter was found to be the commonest among all the lesions with 106 cases [32%] showing high prevalence between 21-30yrs and a male to female ratio of 1:8.7
Conclusion
FNAC has been found to be a most valuable, economized, safe and simple diagnostic procedure in the evaluation of thyroid swellings.