Sono-guided FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) is a safe and accurate diagnostic procedure for thyroid nodules. We examined the use of an extension tube in FNAC as useful.

We reviewed 175 cases of patients with thyroid nodules where an extension tube was used in sono-guide FNAC and 153 cases where a syringe holder was used in Jeonju Jesus hospital, from July 2005 to September 2006.

For cases with an extension tube, tumor size was smaller than 1 cm (38%), from 1 cm to 2 cm (27%), or larger than 2 cm (35%), with cytology results of benign (73%), intermediate (8%), malignant (7%), or nondiagnostic (12%). In cases with a syringe holder, tumor size was smaller than 1 cm (40%), from 1 cm to 2 cm (40%), or larger than 2 cm (20%), with cytology results of benign (51%), intermediate (4%), malignant (3%), or nondiagnostic (42%). The nondiagnostic percentage in cases where an extension tube was used was lower than in cases using a syringe holder. However, the number of tumors larger than 2 cm was significantly larger in the syringe group than the extension tube group.

The use of an extension tube or a syringe holder in FNAC produce similar results.