The diagnostic value of Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) in comparison to pathological findings in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules in Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Babol,North of Iran, during 22 years

Abstract: Background and Objective: Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) of thyroid has been proposed as a method of choice for evaluating thyroid nodules, but recently its role in the management of nodules has been questioned. The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of FNA in comparison to the pathological examination of thyroid nodules that performed in Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Babol, North of Iran, during 22 years. Methods: Two hundred and twenty- five patients who underwent thyroidectomy from 1990 to 2013 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Age, sex, physician who did FNA, type and side of surgery, pathological and FNA findings were recorded. FNA results can be categorized into four groups: inadequate, benign, malignant and suspicious. Pathologic findings were classified into two main categories; malignant and benign. Findings: FNA has 60% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 65% positive predictive value, 95% negative predictive value, and 81.8% diagnostic accuracy. By analyzing 225 cases of cytology, it was reported that 127 cases (56.4%) were benign, 47 cases (20.9%) were suspicious, 27 cases (12%) were malignant, and 24 cases (10.7%) were inadequate. Also, among all pathology reports, 150 cases (66.7%) were benign and 75 cases (33.3%) were malignant.Conclusion: FNA has 60% sensitivity, 96% specificity,65% positive predictive value, 95% negative predictive value and 81.8% diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules.

کلیدواژه ها:

Fine Needle Aspiration ، Thyroid ، Pathology