Comparison between ultrasound, scintigraphy and cytological puncture in diagnostics of thyroid gland nodules.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare ultrasound results with results of scintigraphy and targeted cytological puncture of a nodule or nodules of the thyroid. MATERIAL AND METHOD The study analyzed results of 133 patients, men and women, between age of 16 and 75. The patients had a standard ultrasound of the thyroid, scintigraphy and ultrasound guided cytological puncture. RESULTS The research showed that nodular diseases of the thyroid are present in 2/3 of women patients, and in 1/3 of men patients. The largest presence of nodules is among the age group of 40-49 years. Nodules are the most common in the lower right lobe of the thyroid. The size increase of nodules also increases probability to be malignant. Furthermore, this research has showed that there is a statistically significant connection between ultrasound results and the cytological puncture test results. CONCLUSION Ultrasound is a reliable method of diagnosis for selecting patients to have a cytological puncture. If thyroid scintigraphy shows warm nodules, there is no need for ultrasound guided cytological puncture. Scintigraphy, ultrasound and ultrasound guided cytological puncture are complementary methods in reliable diagnostics of nodular disease of the thyroid.