To evaluate diagnostic utility of Ultrasonography for palpable thyroid nodule and comparison with FNAC in central India.

Abstract

Objective: Ultrasonographic evaluation of palpable thyroid mass as cystic, solid or mixed, Benign or malignant. To examine the accuracy of Ultrasonographic guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis, sensitivity specificity and positive productivity of thyroid nodules. Methods: This is a prospective study of 100 patients with palpable thyroid nodules who underwent Ultrasonography and finding correlated with diagnostic fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) over a 2-year period in central India. Results: Palpable thyroid nodules are very commonly seen in the population of central India. This study comprises of 100 patients with male female ratio was 1:4.5. Ultrasonographic evaluation done by various investigators, and able to differentiate a mass lesion into cystic, solid or mixed(100%).We observed out of 100 lesions 26 as cystic,28 mixed and 46 as solid lesions which were later proved by FNAC examination and found 100% accuracy. Among cystic group classification the accuracy was 96%, in solid lesion characterization the diagnostic yield was 87.5% and for mixed lesion to differentiate benign and malignant lesion the accuracy was 93%. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is 100% effective in diagnosing a lesion whether solid, cystic or mixed and help to differentiate a lesion whether malignant or benign. It has added advantage of being safe, reliable, reproducible, cheaper and most important technique without radiation hazard. It also can help in localizing a lesion for biopsy and for guided cyst aspiration. High-resolution thyroid Ultrasonography is a innovative dynamic device for endocrinologists.