Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in thyroiditis.

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid is a cost-effective, simple, diagnostic tool in the initial screening of patients with thyroid lesions. Its role in a minimally enlarged thyroid in a symptomatic patient suspected of thyroid dysfunction is now well known. It plays an important role in the medical management of all nonpalpable/minimally enlarged thyroid (goiter) in patients suspect for thyroid pathology and/or in combination with thyroid-stimulating hormone, T3 and T4 levels by diagnosing early cases of thyroiditis. FNA may be of assistance in the early detection of subclinical hypothyroidism, which is of utmost importance in pregnant women, and further makes possible the availability of baseline values for future reference. With the implementation of this protocol of FNA thyroid with/without imaging, we affirm that the practice of cytology has differed in different geographic areas and from country to country, depending on economy and availability of infrastructure.