The diagnostic value of fine-needle aspiration biopsy under ultrasonography in nonfunctional thyroid nodules: a prospective study comparing cytologic and histologic findings.
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid nodules has been proposed as a preoperative screening method to reduce the number of patients with benign nodules referred for surgery. Only a few previously published studies have compared cytologic results with a systematic surgical control; furthermore, the role of ultrasound guidance for FNAB in obtaining representative material has been poorly evaluated. The authors tried to assess the diagnostic value of FNAB performed under ultrasonography in a series of patients with a cold nodule and a systematic surgical control. This prospective study included 132 consecutive patients, 19 men and 113 women, aged from 18 to 82 years. The rate of carcinomas was 13.8%. A very high rate of adequate material was obtained (96.2%). Sensitivity, specificity, and global accuracy were 95%, 87.7%, and 89%, respectively. These results, which are equivalent to those previously published but associated with a low level of insufficient material, emphasize the diagnostic value of thyroid FNAB.
Cochand-Priollet
B
B
Service Central d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France.
Guillausseau
P J
PJ
Chagnon
S
S
Hoang
C
C
Guillausseau-Scholer
C
C
Chanson
P
P
Dahan
H
H
Warnet
A
A
Tran Ba Huy
P T
PT
Valleur
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography