6-THE ROLE OF CONVENTIONAL ULTRASOUND IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THYROID NODULES IN AL-SULAIMANYIA TERRITORY$

A palpable thyroid nodule is a common clinical problem; the ultrasonography (US) and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) are its main diagnostic tools. This article aimed to study the reliability and advantages of ultrasound as a diagnostic aid in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules and to reduce the number of unnecessary surgery. Two hundreds and thirty three patients were examined by ultrasound, and then fine needle aspiration cytology under ultrasound guidance (US-FNAC) was done for 210 of them. From those 210 patients we obtained the histopathological proof of 58 patients who underwent surgery. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US-FNAC. There are certain sonographic criteria that suggest malignancy these include microcalcification, irregular margins, and hypoechogenicity of the nodule. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US-FNAC were 80%, 96%, and 94% respectively. Although ultrasound can not reliably distinguish benign from malignant nodules, but it can identify suspected nodules based on certain sono-graphic criteria.