title: A score based on microscopic criteria proposed for analysis of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.
abstract: Morphologic examination is the gold standard for diagnosing papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This diagnosis, especially for the follicular variant, may be variable even among experts. Our objective was to analyze the frequency of PTC microscopic criteria in a series of thyroid tumors including follicular adenoma (FA) and PTC to build a score which could constitute a novel way for microscopic analysis of such thyroid tumors. Sixty-six PTC and 66 FA were matched for age, sex, and thyroiditis. Two independent observers delineated the classical PTC microscopic criteria. PTC microscopic criteria were variably expressed in individual tumors. Under univariate analysis, all criteria were significantly more frequent in PTC than in FA (p<0.05). Under multivariate analysis, the most important criteria were: dark staining colloid >25%, nuclear grooves, enlarged nuclei, ovoid nuclei >5% of tumor cells, and lack of polarization. Using linear discriminant analysis, these five criteria allowed us to build a scaled score. The score proposed did not allow the making of a definite distinction between FA and PTC in routine practice. It represents the variety of microscopic presentations of FA and PTC on the basis of a statistical analysis and could help in further evaluation of immunohistochemical or molecular markers.
authors.affiliation: Pôle Pathologie, Centre de Biologie Pathologie, CHR-U de Lille, 2 Avenue Oscar Lambret, 59037 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verhulst
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aubert
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buob
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cranshaw
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Do Cao
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pattou
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carnaille
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wemeau
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leteurtre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*