NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY OF THYROID-NODULES

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 152  (4) , 469-472
Abstract
Thin needle aspiration biopsies for cytology were performed upon 64 patients with hypofunctioning thryoid nodules. Surgical confirmation of the diagnoses was obtained in 41 of these patients. All 12 nodules with positive needle biopsies were found to be malignant at operation. Of 17 nodules with negative findings at biopsy 16 were benign; 1 was malignant. Twelve nodules were in the questionable cytologic group, 3 were malignant and 9 were benign. Patients (23) did not undergo operation after needle biopsy. Negative biopsy findings in these patients were instrumental in guiding decisions not to recommend operation. There was no morbidity after any of the 64 needle biopsies. Thin needle aspiration biopsy is a valuable diagnostic tool for the selection of thyroid nodules for surgical treatment. Its routine use has increased the incidence of carcinoma in surgically explored cold thyroid nodules in the past year. The procedure was helpful not only in avoiding operation for some benign lesions but also in enabling the detection of a number of otherwise unsuspected malignant tumors. Objections which are usually raised to the large scale use of thin needle aspiration biopsies of thyroid nodules are not valid.

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