The diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration biopsy

Thyroid diseases are frequently seen in our country as they are all around the world. According to the results of autopsy series, performed in some other countries, In more than 50 percent of the cases, nodules were detected and also in the most of the cases that palpation does not detect any abnormality, small nodules can be detected by ultrasound scan. These findings indicate the importance and prevalence of the nodular goiter.Detection of thyroid nodules by classical methods is difficult and expensive. Since the beginning of 1980s, the biopsy that performed using Fine Needle Aspiration occupies an important position on choosing the patients. Needle biopsy is accepted as the most reliable method on the differentiation of benign thyroid nodules from malign thyroid nodules. Since, it is safe, inexpensive and reliable; needle aspiration biopsy is the first choice on the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.Our retrospective study was performed on 221 cases at Gaziantep Üniversity Education and Research Hospital, General Surgery Clinic. Patient ages were varying between 17 and 77 with an average of 45.1±0.8117.In the pathological examination, 63 cases were diagnosed as malign and12,6% of these cases were identified as ?malign? in Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB), 42,8% as ?suspicious? and 44,4% of them were identified as ?benign?. Estimated test sensitivity was 53.8% and the test specificity was 80.9%. These findings were consistent with the literature.As a result, FNAB gives reliable results, causes few complications, tolerated well by patients and its diagnostic value improves with experience. These aspects of FNAB proves it to be an irreplaceable step for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules.Key Words : Noduler goitre, Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy , Malign