Combined ultrasound criteria with ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology in assessment of single thyroid nodule in Radiodiagnosis Department, Assiut University Hospital

Background
Solitary thyroid nodule (STN) is a common clinical condition. There are several pathologic conditions including neoplastic, hyperplastic, and inflammatory diseases that can lead to focal enlargement of the thyroid gland.
Objective
The aim of our study is to correlate the role of combined sonographic criteria and US-guided FNAC with postoperative histopathological examination in assessment of STN.
Patients and methods
A total of 30 patients (20 females and 10 males in different age groups) with STN were recruited from the Radiology Department, Assiut University Hospital, from May 2017 to May 2019. Their age ranged from 19 to 74 years, with a mean age of 41.50 ± 15.16 years. All our patients underwent US assessment of the STN and FNAC for cytological evaluation using Bethesda system before surgery to decide the type of surgery to be undertaken. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS, version 20, and statistical significance was set at value less than 0.05.
Results
Based on US findings, benign nodules presented in 21 (70%) patients, whereas nine (30%) patients had malignant nodules. However, regarding the results of cytology, 20 (66.7%) patients had benign nodules, whereas eight (26.7%) patients had malignant nodules, and only two patients in whom samples were taken by FNAC were unsatisfactory. US findings had 100% sensitivity and 84% specificity and FNAC had 100% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity for prediction of malignant thyroid nodules.
Conclusion
FNAC is considered the gold standard diagnostic test and has an important role in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid gland.