Fine-Needle Aspiration Versus Non Aspiration Technique of Cytodiagnosis in Thyroid Lesions

The two sampling techniques were studied in 50 patients presenting with enlargement of thyroid gland.They were sampled by fine needle aspiration (FNA) and by non-aspiration (NA - a needle withoutapplication of aspiration pressure). Cell samples were cytologically assessed and were scored (0, 1 & 2)using five objective parameters which includes background blood or clot, amount of cellular material,degree of cellular degeneration, degree of cellular trauma and retention of appropriate architecture.Non-aspiration performed better than FNAC for criteria background blood or clot and retention ofappropriate architecture with statistically significant difference. Non-aspiration also scored better thanFNAC for the other parameters as well as cumulatively. Smears were then cytologically assessed asdiagnostically inadequate, adequate and superior. Greater number of diagnostically adequate specimenswere obtained by FNAC than by NA but the number of diagnostically superior specimen were obtainedsignificantly more frequently by the non-aspiration technique. Thus, the non-aspiration technique combinedwith FNAC can result in obtaining good quality cellular material in thyroid lesions.