AbstractContext: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is one of the important components of cytology. The main purpose of FNAC is confirmation of benign thyroid lesions and thereby reducing unnecessary surgeries for the same. Aims: The main aim of the study is to study the correlation ship between cytological findings of thyroid lesions with clinical history and histopathological examination (Wherever available). Settings and Design: It is a prospective study of 150 patients having thyroid enlargement carried out in a tertiary care centre over a period of 3 years. Methods and Material: A total 150 patients having thyroid enlargement were thoroughly studied and subjected for FNAC. Histopathological examination, ultrasonography (USG) findings and thyroid function tests (TFT) were studied wherever available. Correlation of FNAC finding with clinical diagnosis and histopathological examination was done. Statistical analysis: Specificity, Sensitivity, Diagnostic accuracy, Positive predictive value and Negative predictive value of FNAC of thyroid lesions were calculated. Results: Predominant age group in the study was 21-40yrs and Male: Female ratio was 1:9. Most common cytological diagnosis was colloid goiter followed by thyroiditis. Correlation between clinical diagnosis and FNAC was high in thyroiditis. Sensitivity of test for diagnosis of malignancy=90%. Specificity of the test for diagnosis of malignancy=100%. Positive predictive value=100%. Negative predictive value=96.8%. Diagnostic accuracy=87.5%. Conclusions: FNAC found to be simple, minimally traumatic, accurate, cost effective office technique for diagnosis of thyroid lesions. The positive influence of FNAC on the management of thyroid lesions is perhaps best highlighted in the low rate of surgical intervention, 26.66% in this study.
Keywords: FNAC; Histopathology; TFT; Thyroid Lesions; USG.