Sarcouncil Journal of Medical Sciences

Abstract: Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the investigation of choice in thyroid swellings. It has excellent patient compliance, is simple, can be performed in the outpatient department, and is readily repeated. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the management of thyroid swelling and comparing it with post-operative histopathological diagnosis. Patients and Method: This study is implemmented in the clinical prospective case series where it is setting to general surgical wards, AL-Jumhoori Teaching Hospital Iraq. This Study period is determined to last one year (October 2019 – September 2020), which included 114 patients in Mosul. This study included Patients with thyroid swellings subjected for thyroidectomy and had FNAC, while exclusion criteria included patients having unsatisfactory FNAC results because of inadequate cellular material was obtained (7 patients). Intervention: Clinical data, preoperative FNAC, thyroidectomy, and FNAC, and postoperative histopathology. Outcome measures: FNAC and histopathology. Statistical analysis: p-value. Results: 107 patients enrolled, 98 were females, and 8 were males. The F: M ratio was 12.3: l. FNAC was accurate in 97.1%, overall sensitivity was 60%, and specificity 99 %, as compared with postoperative histopathology. Conclusions: FNAC is used for the evaluation of thyroid gland swelling before surgery. FNAC is more specific than sensitive in detecting thyroid malignancy; histopathological examination remains essential for the final diagnosis.