title: [TPO immunostaining of the solitary, cold thyroid nodules].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The chance of malignancy in scintigraphically cold thyroid nodules is 2-24%. Differentiation between malignant and benign cytology is difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of immunostaining (MoAB47--raised against thyroid peroxidase (TPO)) to differentiate between malignant and benign cells taken from cold thyroid nodules by fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in order to reduce the number of unnecessary thyroid operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-one patients (150 female) with a scintigraphically cold, solitary thyroid nodule were entered between 1993 and 1996. Fifty-seven were excluded for various reasons. Material removed by FNAB was stained with MoAB47 and routine staining. Staining of 80% or more of the cells was considered benign, less than 80% was considered malignant. Routine staining of operatively removed material was used as the final diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A pattern with negative TPO staining was found in all lesions that were subsequently proved to be malignant. In all but one, the lesions subsequently diagnosed as being benign stained positive for TPO. The sensitivity and specificity were respectively 1.0 and 0.99.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TPO immunostaining of material removed by FNAB is a powerful tool in the differentiation between benign and malignant tumours.
authors.affiliation: H:S Rigshospitalet, medicinsk endokrinologisk klinik, København.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blichert-Toft
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Sneppen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ravnsbaek
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mollerup
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Strange
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirkegaard
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: U F
authors.initials: UF
authors.lastname: Feldt-Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007453:Iodide Peroxidase
vernacular_title: TPO-immunfarvning af den solitaere, kolde thyreoideaknude.