Pattern and frequency of thyroid pathologies among thyroid cytology specimen in rural part of central India: A retrospective secondary data analysis

Abstract

Background: Thyroid nodules are very frequent, with an annual incidence rate of 4-8%. Thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is more than 50 years old and is the principal method of preoperative diagnosis in both children and adults. Aims: (1) To assess the pattern and frequency of thyroid lesions in cytology, (2) To study the correlation of thyroid lesions with different age groups (3) To identify the frequency benign and malignant thyroid lesions in cytology, (4) To report the thyroid lesions in Bethesda system of reporting pattern on cytology. Settings and Design: Rural Institute of Medical Science and research is a 750 bedded tertiary care institute. This is a retrospective study. Materials and Methods: 300 thyroid lesion (from December 2012 to May 2014) who attended the pathology department of Rural Institute of Medical Science and research was taken and association between variables and thyroid lesions were observed. Thyroid lesions were also classified according to Bethesda system of reporting. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS. Results: Male to female ratio was 1:9. Frequency of benign thyroid lesions is 78% with the most common diagnosis being colloid nodule and colloid cyst. Thyroid malignancies were diagnosed in 5% cases. Bethesda category I included 11%, category II 78%, category III (AUS/FLUS) 2%, category IV (Follicular Neoplasm) 3%, category V (Suspicious of malignancy) 1%, category VI (malignant) 5%. Conclusions: Thyroid lesions can be efficiently classified on cytology.The Bethesda system has proved useful and helped improving communication between cytopathologists and clinicians leading to consistent management.