Diagnostic utility of conventional and liquid-based cytology in the management of thyroid lesions; an institutional experience

OBJECTIVES: Liquid-based cytology (LBC) is becoming a useful method in evaluating both gynecological and nongynecological preparations. Many studies have been conducted these days to see the quality of LBC in diagnosing thyroid lesions and its role is yet to be standardized. This study has been done to pick the cytomorphological features of thyroid lesions on LBC and to compare them with the conventional cytology of these lesions.The objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology processed by LBC as compared to conventional smears. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study has been done on 53 cases of thyroid lesions using standard conventional and LBC techniques. RESULTS: In most of the cases, the cytological features are similar in conventional cytology smears and LBC, but the colloid film and the lymphocytic component show a clear picture on direct smears, whereas nuclear and cytoplasmic details are better evaluated in LBC slides. The preservative solution used in LBC could be efficiently used for the application of immunocytochemical and molecular techniques. CONCLUSION: LBC does not represent as a valid alternative to conventional cytology but it can be considered as a diagnostic utility process especially due to the possibility of applying additional techniques which enhance the efficacy of the cytological diagnosis of thyroid lesions.