Comparative evaluation of cytological and histopathological diagnosis diagnostics of thyroid nodules

Abstract

Background: The fine needle aspiration cytology is evaluated by the Bethesda system and surgical tactics are developed based on the evaluation. Therefore, we consider that it is necessary to take into account the sensitivity and specificity of fine-needle aspiration cytology in surgical cases. Aim: Comparative evaluation of fine-needle aspiration cytology and histopathology diagnostics of thyroid nodules before and after its extraction by surgery. Methods: Data of patients who underwent thyroid surgery between 2014 and 2019 in The Department of Pathology of the National Cancer Center was used. Results: The thyroid nodules of 601 patients were studied, the mean age of patients was 49.34±13.24 years. When evaluating the thyroid nodules by the Bethesda system of the fine needle aspiration cytology, 42.7%(n=195), 23.6%(n=108), 6.3%(n=29), 6.3%(n=29) and 8.1%(n=37), of the cases were benign lesions, follicular lesion of undetermined significance, significant follicular neoplasms, suspicious for malignancies and malignancies, respectively. The histopathological diagnosis of thyroid nodules was malignant lesions in 48.6%(n=148) and benign lesions in 51.4%(n=156) respectively. Conclusions: The specificity (80.6%) is higher than the sensitivity (53.3%) of fine-needle aspiration cytology.