EVALUATION OF ULTRASOUND-GUIDED FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY FOR THYROID-NODULES

BACKGROUND: We retrospectively studied whether ultrasound-guided fine- needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) showed improved sensitivity in pati ents with palpable thyroid nodules. METHODS: A total of 70 patients (7 2 lesions) with thyroid nodules underwent US-FNAB and 94 patients (94 lesions) underwent FNAB guided by manual palpation (standard FNAB), Th e diagnoses obtained by US-FNAB were compared with the surgical findin gs. RESULTS: The sensitivity of US-FNAB for palpable thyroid nodules w as 62% the specificity was 74% the accuracy was 68% the positive predi ctive value was 100%, the negative predictive value was 70% and the in adequate biopsy rate was 17%, In contrast, the sensitivity of standard FNAB was 45%, the specificity was 51%, the accuracy was 48% the posit ive predictive value was 96, the negative predictive value was 55, and the inadequate biopsy rate was 30%. The accuracy of US-FNAB was signi ficantly higher than that of standard FNAB, For tumors less than or eq ual to 2 cm in diameter, the sensitivity and accuracy of US-FNAB were both significantly higher than those of standard FNAB, CONCLUSION: The se findings suggest that US-FNAB can improve the preoperative diagnosi s of thyroid cancer, especially in patients with tumors less than or e qual to 2 cm in diameter, (C) 1998 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.