Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Cytology Quality in Thyroid Nodules with 22-, 23-, and 25-Gauge Needles

Figure 3

HE-stained cytological smears of thyroid nodules obtained by FNA (10x magnification). Cytological smear of a nodule obtained by 25-gauge needle, with clean background and less blood cells, scattered and abundant of tissues with clear structures, and ordered cells arrangement (a); smear of the same nodule obtained by 23-gauge needle, with abundant blood cell and clot and fewer follicular epithelial cells (b); smear of the same nodule obtained by 22-gauge needle, with disordered background, abundant blood cells and fewer clot, gathered tissues, and basically, clear structures (c).

(a)

(b)

(c)