Computerized morphometric study on fine needle aspirates of cellular follicular lesions of the thyroid

Objective: To investigate the value of computerized nuclear morphometry in the differential diagnosis of cellular morphometry in the differential diag nosis of cellular follicular lesions of the thyroid cytologically diagnosed on fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty cases of FNA thyroid smears were cytologically diagnose d and classified as follows: 30 cases of follicular carcinoma, 20 cases of cellular hyperplastic nodules and 10 cases of follicular adenoma. Using an image analysis system, two morphometric variables, nuclear area and major a xis length of the morphometric variables, nuclear area and major axis lengt h of the nucleus, were measured for each case. RESULTS: For both nuclear morphometric variables, statistical differences w ere found between carcinomas and hyperplastic nodules as well as between ca rcinomas and adenomas. no statistical differences were found between the nu clear variables in either hyperplastic nodules or adenomas. CONCLUSION: The results confirm the aim of our study, to establish nuclear morphometry by computerized image analysis as an additional tool in the dif ferential diagnosis of tyroid follicular lesions cytologically diagnosed on FNA smears.