title: Significance of AgNOR measurement in thyroid lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the discriminating potential of AgNOR area measurement and count in thyroid tumors using static cytometry equipment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Slides were analyzed by a computerized system for image analysis, CAS 200 (Becton & Dickinson, U.S.A.), using the Cell Measurement computer program (CAS 200, Becton & Dickinson). The argyrophilic reaction (NORs) was evaluated with a 400-fold amplification directly from the computer monitor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three cases were analyzed for AgNOR staining. The cases studied included 3 goiters, 10 follicular adenomas, 6 Hürthle adenomas, 4 follicular carcinomas, 7 papillary carcinomas, and 3 Hürthle carcinomas. A total of 6,600 nuclei were evaluated. For statistical purposes, lesions were classified as benign and malignant, and both the number and the area of counted NORs showed very similar values. The NORs median among 19 benign tumors was 1.484 (SD +/- 0.265) and of 14 malignant tumors was 1.436 (SD +/- 0.414); the NORs areas were 2.6584 (SD +/- 1.0653) and 2.3643 (SD +/- 0.6320), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that AgNOR evaluation was not a significant parameter to discriminate between malignant and benign thyroid lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medicine School of São Paulo University, Brazil. robertocamargolim26@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Roberto Souza
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Neuza Kasumi
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Shirata
authors.forename: Celso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: di Loreto
authors.forename: Eduardo Anselmo
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Adauto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castelo
authors.forename: Adhemar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longatto Filho
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000473:pathology*; D016622:Silver Staining; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*