Adequacy of surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of specimens obtained by a surgeon performing office-based ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid nodules. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From 2003 to 2006, a single surgeon performed 447 consecutive office-based US-guided FNABs without on-site cytological specimen evaluation. Adequate specimens had at least six clusters of follicular cells from at least two separate needle passes. RESULTS: Non-diagnostic specimens occurred in 16 of 447 (3.6%) nodules, whereas suboptimal specimens occurred in 17 of 447 (3.8%). Adequate samples were obtained in 413 of 447 (92.6%) of specimens. Malignancy was present in 20 of 447 (4.5%) and atypical features were present in 37 of 447 (8.3%). Benign diagnoses were rendered in 357 of 447 (79.9%) of specimens, of which four of 357 (1.1%) represented false-negative results. CONCLUSION: Prior publications recommend that obtaining adequate thyroid cytology specimens requires use of US-guided FNAB and on-site evaluation of cytology adequacy. This study demonstrates that a combination of experienced US guidance, both capillary and aspiration sampling, and three to four needle passes produce comparable results while conserving costs and resources.     

Single versus sequential fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the management of thyroid nodular disease.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is considered a safe, reliable and cost-effective means of selecting thyroid nodules with risk for malignancy. However, there are limitations of this method including false positive/negative and "nondiagnostic" results that may be reduced by repeating FNAB. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and costs of sequential FNAB in the management of thyroid nodular disease. METHODS: Charts of all patients who underwent thyroidectomy at a university teaching hospital in Toronto from 1998 to 2000 were reviewed. FNAB reports of "suspicious for malignancy," "follicular lesion" and "cellular atypia" were considered to be positive. Data were analyzed with chi2 and z tests. RESULTS: There were 268 patients (225 women and 43 men; age range 18-89 yr; mean age 47 yr) who underwent a total of 449 FNABs (mean 1.7 FNABs/patient) within a year before thyroidectomy. Accuracy (63.8%), sensitivity (73.8%) and specificity (69%) were determined for single FNABs. Sequential FNAB increased the accuracy of method by 22.6%, sensitivity by 13.8% and specificity by 6.2%, with reduction of false positive/negative results by 14.2% and "nondiagnostic" results by 100%. However, the costs of sequential cytology per patient were 70% higher than single FNAB. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple FNABs are unpleasant for patients, but useful in the selection for treatment of patients with thyroid nodular diseases. Although sequential FNAB increases the costs of method, the improvement of precision of FNAB may imply a reduction in overall health-care costs.     

Surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy: Evaluation of 470 biopsies

Background

Ultrasound-guided FNAB of thyroid nodules is considered to be the most reliable and feasible test for the diagnosis of thyroid malignancy. We aimed specifically to assess the accuracy of surgeon-performed ultrasound (SPUG)-guided FNAB on a per-nodule basis, with a subanalysis of nodule size and on-site evaluation.

Materials and Method

During the study period, 470 thyroid FNABs were performed. In the first 155 biopsies, the attending pathologist determined the adequacy of the specimen based on the number of cells. Nodules were categorised as group A: nodule size <1.99 cm and group B: nodule size >2 cm in width. The FNAB results were classified and described according to the Bethesda system.

Results

The overall non-diagnostic rate of ultrasound-guided thyroid FNAB in this study was 10% (47 of 470). The percentage of non-diagnostic cases was 12.06% (38 of 315) in patients without on-site evaluation and 5.8% (9 of 155) in patients with on-site evaluation; this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.051). The nondiagnostic FNAB rates were 10.6% (42 of 395) and 6.6% (5 of 75) with respect to nodule sizes <1.9 cm and >2 cm. Although nodules smaller than 1.9 cm had higher non-diagnostic FNAB rates, these results were not statistically significant (p = 0.401).

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ultrasound-guided FNAB in the hands of an experienced surgeon can be performed with a low non-diagnostic FNAB rate.     

The efficiency of performing ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy following mass screening for thyroid tumors to avoid unnecessary surgery

Thyroid masses are a common clinical finding, and their management remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of performing routine ultrasound (US) examinations and US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) in the management of diffuse or nodular goiter diagnosed by mass screening. Mass screening carried out from 1993 to 1996 revealed 444 women with goiter, 322 of whom had diffuse goiter and 122 had nodular goiter. All of these patients underwent US examination, the results of which determined that 169 should undergo US-FNAB to confirm an accurate diagnosis of their thyroid tumors. Histological examinations after surgical resection revealed that 12 of the 322 patients with diffuse goiter (3.7%) and 23 of the 122 with nodular goiter (18.9%) had malignant tumors. Among the 61 thyroid tumors surgically verified, US-FNAB yielded a sensitivity rate of 93%, a specificity rate of 81%, and an accuracy rate of 90%. Insufficient aspiration was obtained from 5%. Performing US-FNAB-resulted in an elevation in the percentage of malignant tumors yielded at surgery of up to 72%. Thus, ultrasonography followed by US-guided-FNAB could be a useful routine method of evaluating thyroid tumors detected by mass screening. Moreover, a greater number of unnecessary thyroid operations can be avoided by performing US-FNAB rather than FNAB alone.     

Effect of combining ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy findings for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of ultrasonography and cytology in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules. DESIGN: Prospective open study. SETTING: Thyroid centre, Japan. SUBJECTS: 329 nodules in 309 patients examined by a new ultrasound scanner and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. INTERVENTIONS: Comparison of ultrasonographic, cytological, and combined diagnosis with the histological diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each diagnostic method. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy were 84%, 87%, 85% for cytological diagnosis, and 82%, 91%, and 87% for ultrasonographic diagnosis. By using ultrasonographic diagnosis when cytological specimens were inadequate or gave false negative results, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy went up to 89%, 91%, and 90%, respectively. We could not diagnose follicular carcinomas accurately by combined cytology and ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: The combination of ultrasonography and cytology improves the accuracy of diagnosis of thyroid nodules, but is less effective with follicular tumours.     

Diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration and frozen section in nodular thyroid disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and frozen section (FS) in nodular thyroid disease. SETTING: Tertiary care academic medical center. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of 139 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for nodular thyroid disease. FNA and FS sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated with respect to permanent section histology. RESULTS: Among 63 patients with an FNA interpreted as either benign (n = 38) or malignant (n = 25), FNA was accurate (sensitivity 89%, specificity 97%, accuracy 94%). FS identified only one case of carcinoma missed by FNA. Among 76 patients with a "suspicious" FNA, FS was reasonably accurate (sensitivity 67%, specificity 100%, accuracy 89%), but was deferred in 50% of cases. CONCLUSION: Given high FNA accuracy, more selective use of FS is suggested. SIGNIFICANCE: The study results will assist with intra-institutional patient counseling and intraoperative decision-making with respect to FNA and FS results in patients with nodular thyroid disease.     

Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and thyroid disease

BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration represents a critical diagnostic test in determining proper management of thyroid disease and the use of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (USGFNA) has increased over the years. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing USGFNA. Two hundred fifteen patients underwent 234 procedures with 362 nodules aspirated within a 2 (1/2)-year period. RESULTS: The mean ages of women and men were 51.9 and 57.8, respectively. The average size of nodules was 2.1 cm. A difficult to assess gland or nodule was the most common indication for USGFNA (33%). The sensitivity was 88.2%, specificity was 80.0%, the PPV was 65.2%, the negative predictive value was 94.1%, and the accuracy was 82.5%. The cancer yield, inadequacy, and complication rates were 44%, 10.5%, and 8.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: USGFNA aspiration is a safe and effective diagnostic modality in the management of thyroid disease, especially for nodules that are difficult to palpate.     

超声引导下细针穿刺抽吸活检诊断甲状腺结节

目的探讨超声引导下细针穿刺抽吸活检(US-FNAB)对不同大小甲状腺结节的诊断价值。方法回顾分析在我院接受US-FNAB检查的689例患者736个甲状腺结节,超声测量结节最大径,并将其分为<5mm、5～10mm、>10mm组;对结节US-FNAB细胞学诊断结果与术后病理结果或随访结果进行比较,分析组间差异。结果 736个结节中,细胞学诊断恶性132个,可疑恶性61个,良性476个,不满意44个,不确定23个。经术后病理或临床随访,恶性结节208个,良性结节528个。恶性结节最大径小于良性结节(P<0.001)。5～10mm组结节的细胞学阳性率和实际恶性率均大于<5mm组及>10mm组(P均<0.05)。US-FNAB细胞学诊断甲状腺良恶性结节的敏感度为87.02%(181/208),特异度97.73%(516/528),准确率94.70%(697/736)。不同大小甲状腺结节US-FNAB检查的诊断敏感度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值及准确率差异均无统计学意义(P均>0.05)。结论 US-FNAB是判断甲状腺结节性质的有效手段,对不同大小结节都有较高诊断价值。     

Needle biopsy of nodular thyroid disease

To evaluate nodular thyroid disease, 150 patients underwent 169 fine needle biopsies (FNB) and recently 28 have also had core needle biopsies (CNB). Multiple biopsies were required in 19 patients because of multiple lesions, reaccumulation of cysts, follow-up of nodules failing to regress, or inadequate material. Adequate material was obtained in 97 per cent of FNB and 92 per cent of CNB. FNB and CNB agreed in 20 of 28 cases. There were no complications with FNB and one patient (4%) hemorrhaged with CNB. Forty nine patients underwent thyroidectomy. Postoperative diagnoses include papillary carcinoma (9), follicular carcinoma (2), lymphoma (2), medullary carcinoma (1), metastatic carcinoma (1), benign nodular goiter (14), follicular neoplasm (15), and thyroiditis (5). Sixty per cent of patients avoided surgery, 61 per cent of operated specimens contained neoplasia and 31 per cent contained malignancy. Eighty seven per cent of malignancies were identified at the initial evaluation. FNB had 86 per cent sensitivity for neoplasia and 44 per cent specificity for neoplasm (94% for papillary carcinoma). CNB had 89 per cent sensitivity and 67 per cent specificity for neoplasm. FNB and CNB are useful means of assessing thyroid nodules for the presence of cancer. They can decrease the need for diagnostic thyroidectomy. However, clinical evaluation must still be used in conjunction when determining the need for thyroidectomy.     

超声引导下细针穿刺抽吸活检对甲状腺床病灶的应用价值

目的探讨超声引导下细针穿刺抽吸活检(US-FNAB)对甲状腺癌术后甲状腺床新生病灶的临床应用价值。方法回顾性分析于我院接受US-FNAB的63例次甲状腺癌患者术后新生甲状腺床病灶,分别评估病灶大小及超声引导下细针穿刺细胞学结果,并与手术病理结果及临床随访结果进行对照分析。结果 63例次患者的69个病灶中,细胞学结果满意60个,诊断为恶性38个,可疑恶性4个,良性18个;细胞学结果不满意9个。与最终临床诊断结果对照,USFNAB诊断甲状腺床病灶的敏感度为97.62%(41/42)、特异度为94.44%(17/18)、阳性预测值为97.62%(41/42)、阴性预测值为94.44%(17/18)、准确率为96.67%(58/60)。结论 US-FNAB对甲状腺癌术后甲状腺床新生病灶具有较高的诊断价值。     

Role of fine-needle aspiration biopsy and frozen-section evaluation in the surgical management of thyroid nodules

BACKGROUND: The role of routine frozen section (FS) in the surgical management of thyroid nodules remains uncertain. This study reviewed the role of FS in the presence of an adequate fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). METHODS: FNAB and FS were evaluated in 206 patients who had surgery for a thyroid nodule. Cytological specimens were classified as benign, malignant or suspicious. The FS diagnoses were benign, malignant or deferred. RESULTS: A cytological diagnosis was obtained in 93 nodules; the remaining 113 were classified as suspicious, of which 21 were malignant on definitive examination. The overall accuracy of FNAB was 53 per cent. FS evaluation identified 165 lesions as benign; the diagnosis was deferred until definitive histological evaluation in only eight. The overall accuracy, therefore, was 96 per cent. Routine use of FS was cost-effective; lowering the number of reoperations led to an estimated saving of about 40 per cent. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that FS remains an important tool in the surgical management of thyroid nodules and can reduce the number of patients requiring reoperation.     

Nodule size and fine-needle aspiration biopsy: diagnostic challenges for thyroid malignancy

Background

To investigate the relationship between nodule size and malignancy and the correlation between the dimensional parameter and fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in patients with a nodular goiter.

Methods

Histological data of 415 patients who underwent thyroidectomy were used to estimate the actual nodule size and the difference between the diameter of the nodular lesion and the included tumor (intranodular peritumoral tissue [IPT]). FNAB was performed in 338 patients, and its predictive role was evaluated in comparison with histology.

Results

The histology revealed 207 cases of thyroid malignancy. The mean nodule size was significantly larger in benign disease compared with malignant. Only age and FNAB malignant category were independently associated with malignancy. The IPT showed a trend toward a statistically significant association with FNAB malignant category.

Conclusions

Nodule size does not appear to be a reliable parameter to improve the clinical management of a nodular goiter because of a high variability between size of nodular area and tumor diameter.     

The efficacy of simultaneous fine-needle aspiration and large-needle biopsy of the thyroid gland

Fine-needle aspirations and cutting needle biopsies were performed on 415 patients with solitary thyroid nodules. All nodules were considered hypofunctioning by scintiscans. Specimens were adequate in 399 patients. Ten percent of these patients had thyroid cancers documented by thyroidectomies. Results from either or both procedures were positive or suspicious in 58 patients (14.5%). Thyroid cancers were found in 40 of the 58 patients (69%). Aspirates alone detected 34 of 40 cancers (85%) and biopsy specimens alone detected 30 of 40 cancers (75%). All thyroid cancers were detected when both results were considered together, demonstrating that needle aspirates and cutting needle biopsies are complementary. The difficulty of making definitive diagnoses of follicular neoplasms by needle aspirates or cutting needle biopsies is reemphasized.     

Clinical value of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland]

The work compares the results of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FAB) of the thyroid gland in nodular and diffuse-nodular euthyroid goiter (63 patients) with the findings of pathomorphological study of the operative material (51 patients). The authors' original device for puncture of the thyroid node is described. The suggested method makes it possible to raise the efficacy of obtaining an adequate amount of aspired material to 92%. On the basis of the results of FAB and ultrasonic examination (USE) unfounded surgical intervention was avoided in 12 of the 63 cases. The results of the study bear evidence of the high diagnostic efficacy of FAB as to obtaining the cytologic material and revealing malignant degeneration (96% specificity). The authors believe that FAB in combination with USE should be an obligatory component of complex clinico-instrumental examination of patients with various diseases of the thyroid, nodular forms of affection in particular.     

超声引导下细针穿刺细胞学检查术前评估甲状腺结节

目的探讨超声引导下细针穿刺细胞学检查(UG-FNAB)术前评估甲状腺结节良恶性的价值。方法对870例患者共1 024个常规超声筛选高度可疑恶性的甲状腺结节行UG-FNAB,并与手术病理进行对照研究。结果 1 024个可疑甲状腺恶性结节中,UG-FNAB检查结果阳性结节902个,阴性结节122个。手术病理结果示恶性结节918个,良性结节106个。UG-FNAB诊断结果与手术病理学诊断结果的差异无统计学意义(χ~2=1.263,P=0.261)。UG-FNAB诊断甲状腺结节的敏感度为97.71%(897/918)、特异度为95.28%(101/106)、阳性预测值为99.45%(897/902)、阴性预测值为82.79%(101/122)、准确率为97.46%(998/1 024)。870例UG-FNAB后均未发生严重并发症。结论 UG-FNAB对于术前评估甲状腺结节良恶性具有较高的应用价值。     

Diagnostic value of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy, core-needle biopsy, and evaluation of combined use in the diagnosis of breast lesions

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether ultrasound-guided core-needle biopsy (US-CNB) has more diagnostic value for breast tumors than ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) and to evaluate their combined use in patients with breast tumors. STUDY DESIGN: US-FNAB was carried out in 233 patients with breast tumors (254 lesions); both US-FNAB and US-CNB (combined biopsy) were performed in 81 of these patients (82 lesions). The diagnosis obtained by US-FNAB and US-CNB was compared with the surgical findings and the diagnostic value of US-CNB and combined biopsy were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The sensitivity of US-FNAB was 86.9%, the specificity was 78.6%, and the accuracy was 84%. In contrast, the sensitivity of US-CNB was 86.2%, the specificity was 95.8%, and the accuracy was 89%. The specificity of US-CNB was significantly higher than that of US-FNAB and the inadequate biopsy rate of US-CNB was significantly lower than that of US-FNAB. For combined biopsy, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were all 100%. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of combined biopsy were significantly higher than those of US-FNAB. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that US-CNB is more useful than US-FNAB, and that a combination of US-CNB and US-FNAB can markedly improve the preoperative diagnosis of breast cancer.     

超声引导下细针抽吸活检诊断不同大小甲状腺结节

目的探讨甲状腺结节大小对超声引导下细针抽吸活检(US-FNAB)诊断效能的影响。方法选取接受USFNAB且病理证实为甲状腺结节的患者125例(共143个结节),根据结节最大直径(L)分为3组:A组(L≤10mm),B组(10mmL≤15mm),C组(L15mm)。将US-FNAB细胞学诊断结果与病理结果对比,并进行统计学分析。结果143个结节中US-FNAB细胞学诊断阳性结节94个,阴性结节49个;术后病理诊断恶性结节96个,良性结节47个。良、恶性结节大小差异有统计学意义(P0.001)。3组敏感度、特异度差异均有统计学意义(P均0.05),阳性预测值、阴性预测值、假阳性率、假阴性率及准确率差异均无统计学意义(P均0.05)。与A、B组比较,C组敏感度最低(P0.05),A、B组敏感度差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。与B、C组比较,A组特异度最低(P0.05),B、C组特异度差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论甲状腺结节大小对US-FNAB诊断的效能无影响。     

Accuracy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid combined with an evaluation of clinical and radiologic factors

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid nodules is an operator-interpreter-dependent procedure whose diagnostic accuracy has deficiencies, especially concerning indeterminate and negative results. There are reports in the literature of up to a 15% definitive diagnosis of carcinoma in the first category of cytology and an 11% false-negative rate in the second category. With these facts in mind, a prospective study was done at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, to determine whether one or several clinicoradiologic factors were associated with a final pathologic diagnosis of carcinoma, thereby increasing the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid FNAB. In total, 200 cases were reviewed, and 159 patients underwent surgery. Our study group comprises these 159 patients. The only clinical factor associated with false-negative results was size > or = 4 cm, with no statistical significance for the other factors analyzed. A comparison was done between clinical factors of patients who had indeterminate results in the aspirate and those of patients who had a definitive diagnosis by permanent section of the thyroid carcinoma, where an association was found between malignancy and tumor size > or = 4 cm, irregular borders, fixed lesions, and heterogeneity on ultrasound. We conclude that in the presence of a negative cytology result, with tumor size > or = 4 cm, close follow-up is indicated, and a new thyroid FNAB should be performed in 6 months. If the nodule persists or grows, a surgical procedure should be considered. In the case of an indeterminate cytology result and in the absence of those factors associated more frequently with a pathologic result of carcinoma, a conservative approach could be indicated with clinical follow-up and repeat thyroid FNAB in 6 months to 1 year.