A diagnostic study of utility of fine needle aspiration cytology and cell block technique in thyroid lesions.

Background and objectives: Thyroid lesions are one of the most common conditions all over the world, presenting as neck swelling. Lesions include inflammatory, hyperplastic and neoplastic with varied presentation, ranging from diffuse thyroid enlargement to solitary nodule and even multi nodular enlargement. Objectives: 1. To study the efficacy of FNAC in diagnosis of thyroid lesions. 2. To study the efficacy of Cell Block in diagnosis of thyroid lesions. 3. To compare cell block and FNAC study in diagnosis of thyroid lesions. Methods: The study population included all patients presenting with thyroid lesions at Basaweshwar Teaching and General hospital, Kalaburagi. Results: • Out of 55 cases of thyroid lesions maximum cases were in the age group of 31-40 years with mean age being 36 years. • Male : Female ratio is 1:8.16 • Maximum cases were of multinodular goitre seen in 14 cases and all in females • Among 55 cases, 46 cases were non neoplastic and 9 cases were neoplastic on FNAC. • One multinodular goitre turned out to follicular neoplasm and one follicular neoplasm was diagnosed as Papillary carcinoma thyroid with the application of cell block technique in addition to FNAC. • Conclusion: • This study proves that FNAC and cell blocks are sensitive, specific, and accurate as preliminary diagnostic tests for assessment of patients with thyroid lesions. Their concomitant use can reduce the number of patients with benign thyroid nodules undergoing unnecessary surgery and can aid in avoiding delays in planning of surgery in malignant cases.