FREE HAND FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY (FNAC) VERSUS ULTRASOUND-GUIDED CORE SAMPLING OF THYROID GLAND FOR THYROID NODULES

Objective: To determine the satisfactory sampling rate and safety of free hand fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and ultrasound-guided sampling of thyroid gland.Methodology: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of surgery and department of ENT head and neck surgery of Saidu Teaching Hospital from January 2008 to December 2010. A total of 212 thyroid samples were included in this analysis. Out of these samples, 114 were obtained with free hand while 98 were obtained under US guidance. The satisfactory sampling rate of both methods was compared.Results: Among the U/S guided group, 82% samples were adequate while in free hand aspiration, 55% were adequate (p=0.0001). After excluding all the cysts and colloid nodules, the adequate sampling rate in U/S guided group was 86.36% while in free hand it was 53.72% (p=0.0001). No clinical complication was observed in any group.Conclusion: US guided core sampling provides more adequate samples for cytology than free hand aspiration. Both FNAC and ultrasound-guided sampling of thyroid gland are safe.