Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Preoperative Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules

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Abstract
Consecutive patients (50) were studied to assess the utility of fine-needle aspiration cytology for the diagnosis of hypofunctioning thyroid nodules. In 2 patients, cysts were evacuated and did not recur. Thirty-three patients underwent excisional biopsy; the aspiration biopsy result was not a criterion for surgery. Satisfactory aspiration specimens were obtained in 32 patients (97%). The diagnosis in 9 aspiration specimesn was malignant; of these 7 (78%) were correct and there was 1 false-positive and 1 occult carcinoma unrelated to the clinically detected nodule. Five aspirations showed suspected malignancy; of these, 2 were carcinoma, 1 was an occult carcinoma, and 2 were benign. Eighteen aspirations were interpreted as benign; of these, 17 (94%) were correct and the 1 false-negative diagnosis was a well-differentiated follicular carcinoma. The procedure is useful in assessing the need for surgery in high-risk patients and in selecting patients for thyroid-suppression therapy.

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