ACCURACY OF FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY (FNAC) IN PALPABLE THYROID LESIONS : A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Thyroid enlargement is one of the common problems in patients presenting at outpatients department of surgery especially in females. To determine the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease. This prospective study was carried out in Surgery department during the year 2010 to 2012. On 160 patients who underwent thyroid surgery after complete evaluation by history, clinical examination, Thyroid profile, Thyroid Scintigraphy, Ultrasound neck and FNAC. Histopathology of specimen was done after surgery. Male to female ratio of the patients was found to be 1:2.8. Most common lesion recorded was benign nodule (70.63%) and malignant lesions were 29.37% in FNAC. In histopathology, the benign nodules were 63.13% and malignant cases were 36.87%. Sensitivity of FNAC was 69.64% and specificity was 92.31%. High sensitivity and specificity of FNAC in cases of thyroid lesions makes it first line investigation on most cases of palpable thyroid lesions.