THYROID LESION DIAGNOSIS: A RADIOLOGICAL, CYTOLOGICAL, AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS.

Introduction: Thyroid pathologies range from benign goiters to malignancies. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and ultrasonography (USG) are crucial in preoperative evaluation. This study aimed to correlate radiological (TIRADS), cytological (Bethesda), and histopathological findings in patients undergoing thyroid surgery at a tertiary care hospital in Rahul Foundation, GIMSH, Westbengal. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 54 patients who underwent thyroid surgery at the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department between October 2022 and March 2025. Data were analyzed using statistical software to correlate USG (TIRADS), FNAC (Bethesda), and histopathological results. Results: The study included 45 females and 9 males, with a mean age of 43.25 ± 15.50 years. Histopathology revealed 79.67% benign, 12.96% malignant, and 7.4% suspicious lesions. FNAC categorized 10% as Bethesda category IV (moderately suspicious). No patients were categorized as Bethesda category V (highly suspicious). FNAC specificity was 95.24% for benign and 93.02% for malignant lesions. TIRADS specificity was 93.33% for benign and 95.45% for malignant lesions. Conclusions: Clinical, radiological, cytological, and histopathological examinations are essential for diagnosing thyroid swellings. This study demonstrates a strong correlation between FNAC (Bethesda) and USG (TIRADS) with histopathology, highlighting their importance in the early diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma.