Cytological study of different thyroid lesions and its correlation with thyroid function test

Abstract

The research relevance of the combined use of fine needle aspiration cytology, sonography, and thyroid function tests is determined by accurate diagnostics of thyroid enlargement in both adults and children. The study aimed to analyse thyroid lesions through cytological analysis and their correlation with thyroid function test results. This cross-sectional study enrolled 100 patients with suspected thyroid disorders and nodules. Comprehensive assessments included clinic demographics, fine needle aspiration cytology procedures, and thyroid hormone profiles. Based on the Bethesda system, cytological diagnoses were correlated with thyroid function test results using the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay method. Non-tumour thyroid lesions were found to be the most common (95%), with colloidal goitre being the most common. Neoplastic cases mainly included papillary and follicular carcinoma. Most thyroid lesions occurred among the 21-30 age group, non-neoplastic cases were more frequent among the 10-20 age group, and neoplastic cases were more common in those aged 21-40. All patients had neck swelling. Most cases were euthyroid (76%), predominantly classified as Category 2. A strong correlation between cytological diagnoses and thyroid hormone levels (p=0.04) was observed. Fine needle aspiration cytology demonstrated good sensitivity (80%) and high specificity (98.46%), with an 80% positive predictive value and 98.46% negative predictive value, resulting in a diagnostic accuracy of 97.14%. The study highlights the valuable role of fine needle aspiration cytology, when coupled with thyroid function tests, in effectively guiding the management of patients with thyroid lesions, owing to its impressive accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity