Fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid gland in Sokoto, Nigeria: A 5 years' Experience

Background: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid gland is a cost-effective and widely used procedure to triage patients with enlargement of the gland. Aims: The aim is to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FNAC, thereby highlighting its usefulness. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, North West Nigeria. Using universal sampling, all cases registered as thyroid FNAB over a 5 years' period were consecutively selected. Their corresponding slides were retrieved and reviewed. Result: A total of 187 FNA of the thyroid glands were retrieved. One hundred and fifty-six (83.4%) were female, and 31 (16.6%) were male (ratio of 5:1). The age range was 4–88 years, with the mean age of 40.6 years. Benign and malignant lesions accounted for 81.8% and 4.8%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated as 70%, 100%, and 98.2%, respectively. Conclusion: FNAC of the thyroid gland remains a very useful tool in the management of goiter.