Diagnostic value of AgNOR staining in thyroid cytology.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of the argyrophil nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) technique on scrape cytology of thyroid lesions.


METHODS
AgNOR counts were evaluated in smears of 70 thyroid lesions that were sent for frozen section and included 15 cases of follicular adenoma, 10 cases of follicular carcinoma, 13 cases of papillary carcinoma, 23 cases of nodular goiter and 9 cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Forty-one slides out of 70 were freshly prepared, and 29 slides had been previously stained with hematoxylin and eosin and then destained with alcohol. The number of AgNOR dots was recorded for 50 cells, and the mean number was calculated.


RESULTS
The mean AgNOR counts were statistically significantly higher in malignant lesions in comparison to benign lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
AgNOR staining could be of use in cytologic material from thyroid lesions.
Shechtman
L
L
Department of Pathology, Hasharon Hospital, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Koren
R
R
Horowitz
A
A
Shechtman
I
I
Halpern
M
M
Gal
R
R
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D016622:Silver Staining / Q000379:methods*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology