Cyto-Pathological Evaluation of Thyroid Lesion by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) and Their Correlation with TSH, T3, T4: A Study in Pakistani Patients

Background: Thyroid lesions are frequently evaluated using fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and thyroid function tests (TFTs). However, the correlation between these diagnostic methods remains unclear.Objective: To assess the correlation between FNAC findings and TFT profiles (TSH, T3, and T4) in thyroid lesion management in a Pakistani patient population.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 120 patients (60 males, 60 females) from Indus Hospital, Multan. FNAC was performed on thyroid nodules, and serum T3, T4, and TSH levels were measured using the ELISA technique. FNAC results were classified according to the Bethesda System. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with a significance level set at 0.05.Results: Benign Follicular Nodule (BFN) was the most common FNAC diagnosis (51.3%), followed by Lymphocytic Thyroiditis (24.8%). Subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in 4.16% of LT cases, while primary hypothyroidism was most prevalent in LT cases (10.8%). No significant correlation was found between FNAC diagnoses and TFT profiles.Conclusion: FNAC and TFTs should be used concurrently for comprehensive thyroid lesion management, as no significant correlation exists between these two diagnostic methods.