Ultrasound Guided-Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Thyroid Nodules: 18 Months Retrospective Review of One Center Experience

The objective of this study is to elucidate the use of ultrasonography guided fine-needle aspiration biopsies (UG-FNAB) in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. The study population consisted of 790 UG-FNAB in 719 patients whom were admitted to the our endocrinology clinic. The cytological results were classified as benign, follicular lesion or suspicious for malignancy, malignant and non-diagnostic. The results of 790 UG-FNAB of 719 patients were as follows: 567 (71.77%) benign, 97 (12.28%) non-diagnostic cytology, 43 (5.44%) atypia with undetermined significance, 81 (10.25%) follicular lesion or suspicious for malignancy, 2 (0.25%) malignant. In our study, thyroid carcinoma rate was found to be lower than current literature. Of the malignant nodules which were reported as papillary thyroid carcinoma by UG-FNAB cytology, both were female, euthyroid and have single nodule in their thyroid gland. One of the patient (39 years old) had a micro nodule (< 1 cm in diameter) that it had an isoechoic pattern with regular margin on thyroid ultrasonography; whereas the other one (79 years old) had macro nodule (>1 cm diameter) that it had, hypoechoic pattern with irregular margin. None of them have calcifications in their nodules. Multidisciplinary approach including endocrinologists, radiologists and pathologists is essential for the management of patients with thyroid nodules to avoid missestimation of the risk of thyroid cancer.