Correlation of sonographic and cytologic patterns of thyroid nodules.

Introduction: thyroid nodules are palpable in about 8% of adults. It is necessary to differentiate benign nodules from malignant ones by the non-invasive ultrasonography thereby reducing the frequency of the invasive fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The study assessed the sonographic and FNAC patterns of thyroid nodules for benign and malignant features in a black African population.

Methods: this was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study design over a 1-year period in which one hundred and seven (107) consenting patients between 15 to 80 years of age with palpable thyroid masses by convenience sampling, were consecutively recruited to have both thyroid ultrasound scan and FNAC of their thyroid mass sequentially. Frequency, percentages and two-by-two contingency table were employed for data analysis.

Results: the sonographic features of the thyroid nodules varied from round 80 (74.8%) to oval 25 (23.4%) masses, the presence of thin peripheral halo 83 (77.6%), heterogeneous echo-pattern 104 (97.2%) with cystic component and peripheral vascularity 75 (70.1%). One hundred and five (98.1%) study participants showed benign features on sonography while two had features suspicious of malignancy; however FNAC result in the same group of patients was suggestive of benign masses in all 107 (100%) patients. Histology however confirmed malignancy in the 2 participants with ultrasound features suggestive of malignant thyroid nodules.

Conclusion: ultrasonography is very sensitive in the characterization of thyroid nodules into benign or suspicious for malignancy in black African population.