The treatment of thyroid cancer. The role of fine-needle aspiration cytology.

A series of 960 fine-needle aspiration biopsies of thyroid lesions are reported. The primary indication is the presence of a solitary thyroid mass. Aspiration biopsy is accomplished using a 23-gauge needle and a commercially available syringe pistol equipped with a 20.0-mL syringe. Sensitivity for the presence of a thyroid neoplasm, specificity for the absence of a thyroid neoplasm, predictive value of a positive diagnosis for a thyroid neoplasm, and diagnostic efficiency are all over 90% in this series. Eight percent of the aspirates were unsatisfactory. Use of fine-needle aspiration biopsy for the diagnosis of thyroid conditions reduces thyroid surgery significantly for nonneoplastic disease. It is cost-effective and essentially free of complications.