title: Is agNOR and DNA ploidy analysis useful for evaluating thyroid neoplasms?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the subjective AgNOR counting method and DNA content with histologic diagnoses of thyroid cancer and invasion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one consecutive cases of thyroid carcinoma were selected for DNA and AgNOR analysis. The diagnoses were: papillary carcinoma (n = 40), follicular carcinoma (n = 31), Hürthle cell adenocarcinoma (n = 4), and undifferentiated carcinoma (n = 6). Seven normal thyroids were used as controls. DNA quantitative measurement was performed with Vidas 2.0 software (Kontron Bildanalyse, Munich, Germany) connected to an MPM 210 photometer microscope (Carl Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany). The DNA index was obtained using histograms. Counting the NORs was performed by subjectively counting the NORs in 200 malignant cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNA ploidy analysis showed all Hürthle cell adenocarcinomas, 21 (67%)follicular tumors, 23 (57%) papillary tumors and 4 (67%) undifferentiated carcinomas to be aneuploid. DNA analysis correlated with histologic type of the tumor (p = 0.032). There was no statistical significance to the AgNOR counting variables studied. Statistical analysis showed correlation between ploidy and histologic diagnosis, but not AgNOR counting, to have prognostic value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DNA ploidy is more useful than subjective counting of NORs as an adjunct method for thyroid lesion analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Laboratory of Medical Investigation 26, Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School of São Paulo University, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Souza
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Marina Yoshie Sakamoto
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Celso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: di Loreto
authors.forename: Neuza Kasumi
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Shirata
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anselmo Garcia
authors.forename: Adhemar Longatto
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Filho
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018249:Adenoma, Oxyphilic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000032:analysis; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry; D007621:Karyotyping; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011003:Ploidies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C051963:nucleolar organizer region associated proteins