Cytomorphological patterns of thyroid lesions among 1646 Sudanese patients: what we can learn from fine needle aspiration cytology retrospective analysis?

Abstract

Introduction: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology biopsy of the thyroid gland is an accurate and useful diagnostic tool in the initial evaluation of nodular thyroid lesions. We aimed in this study to determine the cytomorphological patterns of thyroid lesions diagnosed by FNA among Sudanese patients. Methods: A descriptive retrospective, clinic-based study was performed. Cytopathological records of patients that attended the Total Lab Care Clinic in Khartoum-Sudan between January 2016 and December 2017 were reviewed. Results: A total of 1646 patients records were reviewed; 1385 (84.1%) were females and 261 (15.9%) males. A total of 1563 (94.9%) were negative for malignancy, 39 (2.4%) were positive for malignancy, 42 (2.6%) were indeterminate for malignancy and 2 (0.1%) were non-diagnostic. Colloid goiter was seen in 1147 patients (73.4%), benign hemorrhagic cysts were seen in 257, Hashimoto thyroiditis was seen in 77, benign thyroid nodules were seen in 76, keratocysts were seen in 2, thyroglossal duct cysts were seen in 2, thyroid follicular adenoma was seen in 1 and myxedema was seen in 1. For malignant patients; 11 had anaplastic thyroid cancer, 8 had papillary thyroid cancer, 7 had follicular thyroid cancer, 5 had metastatic thyroid cancer, 4 had medullary thyroid cancer, 3 had non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 1 had thyroid follicular adenoma. For those indeterminate for malignancy, 24 had follicular neoplasm and 18 had Hurthle cell neoplasm. Conclusions: Fine needle aspiration cytology for thyroid nodules provides a rapid and non-invasive technique for the evaluation and differentiation between benign and malignant lesions. This study also addresses the increased predominance of benign thyroid lesions among young patients and thyroid malignancy among the 4th decade of life.