Diagnostic accuracy of fine needle biopsy in the management of thyroid pathology in the Hospital Mexico in 2011-2012

The nodule has been a very common thyroid pathology; through palpation is located in a 5% of the population and through ultrasound this figure has increased by almost 50%. The thyroid nodule has been the shape of presentation of thyroid cancer; the majority of times asymptomatic and most recently has shown without relation to the size of the nodule, 5 to 15% of thyroid nodules are malignant. This requires to classify clinically, to decide which patient requires surgical management. In Costa Rica, and especially in the CCSS (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social); It has had two tools for perform differentiation: ultrasound and FNA (fine needle aspiration biopsy). The diagnostic accuracy of these tests has allowed minimize thyroid surgeries in patients with benign nodules and sift patients with thyroid nodules into search for cancer of thyroid. Previous to routine use of FNA was resected only 14% of malignant nodules, now are resected more than 50%. The diagnostic accuracy of these tests is related to technical aspects and also with the structural and histological features of the lesions valued. The limitations and scope described have allowed to optimize the utilization of direct and indirect costs related to the management of patients with thyroid nodules and decrease morbidity in the management of thyroid pathology. The sensitivity and specificity of fine needle biopsy varies, as is noted in various publications, according to the reference center, has been quite reliable between 0.3 and 3 cm and is highly specific in the case of papillary carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracy of the test has never been studied in the Hospital Mexico. Of the total population for the period 2011-2012, it is documented that the FNA is a study of high specificity (95,5%), with value predictive negative and positive appropriate (>75%) and with an intermediate sensitivity (55,6%). The analysis of ultrasound and FNA as parallel testing has allowed greater sensitivity. The use of ultrasound to guide the biopsy has increased the sensitivity of the study to 70%; a finding that could have an impact on the daily clinical work. (author)