BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Recently, the efficiency of thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) as a method of choice in evaluation and management of thyroid nodules has been questioned.  The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of FNA as compared to pathology results in diagnosis of thyroid nodules in Shahid Behashti Hospital of Babol, Iran, within 22 years.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on cytology samples of 225 patients who were undergoing thyroidectomy at Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Babol during 1990-2012. Patients’ age and gender, physician's experience in performing FNA, type and location of surgery, FNA samples and pathology results were recorded. According to the pathology reports, FNA results were divided into four groups i.e. inadequate, benign, malignant and suspicious. The pathology results were divided into benign and malignant groups. The results of both methods were compared with each other.

FINDINGS: The sensitivity and specificity of FNA in diagnosis of thyroid nodules were 60% and 96%, respectively. Also, its positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic accuracy were 65%, 95% and 81.8%, respectively. Among the 225 cytology samples, 127 (56.7%), 47 (20.9%), 27 (12%) and 24 (10.7%) were benign, suspicious, malignant, and inadequate, respectively. Additionally, pathology results were benign and malignant in 150 (66.7%) and 75 (33.3%) patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION: FNA was comparatively effective in diagnosis of thyroid nodules.