Comparision of the Diagnostic values of Doppler Sonography with Fine Needle Aspiration in Thyroid Nodules

Introduction: Thyroid nodules are frequent occurrences, and whenever diagnosed, it is necessary to rule out of malignancy. Valuable diagnostic methods in this field are sonography and fine needle aspiration. In this study while investigating these two methods, we compared them with postsurgical pathologic findings. Materials and methods: This is a cross sectional, descriptive-analytical study. Data for this study has been collected during 3 years from 2000 to 2002 in Alzahra hospital of Isfahan university. In 96 palpable thyroid nodules, the correlation between color doppler sonography and fine needle aspiration with postsurgical pathology results were compared. The correlation, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results: Out of 96 cases, in 64 cases (66. 6%) the results for sonography and FNA were similar to those of postsurgical pathology. In 79 cases (82. 3%), the sonography results were similar to those of postsurgical pathology. In 72 cases (75%) the results of cytology were similar to those of pathology. Regarding neoplastic lesions the rates of association of the two methods, sonography and cytology, with results after surgery are respectively 17. 7% and 23. 9%. Regarding non-neoplastic lesions, the rates of association for sonograply and cytology with postsurgical pathology are respectively 64. 5% and 51%. Conclusion: Cytologic methods cannot be used to differentiate between adenomatoid goiters and follicular neoplasms, whereas color doppler sonography shows the peripheral hypoechoic halo of capsule, and the number of lesions, and can differentiate the two entities.