Comparison of the fine-needle aspiration results of thyroid nodule and colour Doppler sonography findings of thyroidal artery

Purpose: To compare the data obtained by using color Doppler ultrasonography about the flow parameters (Vmax, Vmin, PI, RI) of superior thyroidal artery (STA) and vascularity/flow patterns of the thyroid nodules, with the sufficiency/adequacy of the material obtained by FNA biopsy for the cytologic diagnosis and with the results of the cytologic examination; to evaluate the vascularization patterns of the nodules by using the findings of the STA, in cases of ?unsatisfactory/inconclusive aspirate? group, either hemorrhagic or nonhemorrhagicMaterial and methods: Fiftynine patients who were referred for ultrasonographic examination to the Radiology department of Afyon Kocatepe University, School of Medicine, between 02.06.2008 and 10.10.2008, and who had thyroid nodules, were included in this study. The data obtained by using color Doppler ultrasonography about flow parameters (Vmax, Vmin, PI, RI) of the superior thyroidal artery and the vascularity/flow patterns of the nodules, were compared with the adequacy of the material obtained by FNA biopsy for cytological diagnosis and also with the final cytological diagnosis. For evaluation of the relationship between the ?adequate material? cases and ?unsatisfactory/inconclusive aspirate? cases, between the hemorrhagic aspirates and nonhemorrhagic ones among the ?unsatisfactory/inconclusive aspirate? group, and between the benign cases and malignant cases among the ?adequate material? group, for Vmax, Vmin, PI, RI parameters of the superior thyroidal artery, variance analysis (ANOVA) test has been performedResults: It was found that mean Vmax value for STA was 26.4 cm/s, 30.7 cm/s and 30.9 cm/s in cases with Type I, Type II and Type III vascularity, respectively, in ?unsatisfactory/inconclusive aspirate? group. Although mean Vmax values of STA in nodules with Type II and Type III vascularity were not statistically significant, they were found to be higher than that of Type I casesIn the group defined as inappropriate for cytopathologic evaluation because of hemorrhage, the vascularity types of the nodules were not significantly different from those of ?adequate material? group or nonhemorrhagic but ?unsatisfactory/inconclusive aspirate? group. There was not any statistically significant difference for STA flow velocity and patterns between the hemorrhagic material group and other groupsConclusion: It has been revealed that, in FNA biopsy of thyroid nodules, neither the obtained material?s having insufficient cellular yield for cytopathologic diagnosis nor its being hemorrhagic, which is one of the important reasons of unsatisfactory/inconclusive aspirate, has any correlation with STA flow velocity, parenchymal vascularity of the thyroid gland or internal vascularity of the relevant nodule.