title: Diagnostic benefit of thyroglobulin measurement in fine-needle aspiration for diagnosing metastatic cervical lymph nodes from papillary thyroid cancer: correlations with US features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our goals were to determine the added value of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB)-thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements over FNAB-cytology alone for diagnosing metastatic nodes, and to determine whether the ultrasound features of lymph nodes can be used to identify lymph nodes that may benefit from FNAB-Tg measurement in patients with papillary thyroid cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 76 surgically proven cervical lymph nodes. Twenty-nine patients were awaiting surgery and 18 patients had undergone thyroid surgery for papillary thyroid cancer. Ultrasound-guided FNAB and Tg measurements were performed and the ultrasound features were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The accuracies, sensitivities, and specificities of FNAB-cytology, FNAB-Tg, and combined FNAB-Tg/cytology were 90%, 80%, and 100%; 92%, 95%, and 90%; and 93%, 96%, and 90%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity of FNAB-Tg for metastatic nodes was significantly higher than that of FNAB-cytology (p = 0.011). Furthermore, combined FNAB-Tg/cytology significantly increased sensitivity (p = 0.002) and accuracy (p = 0.03) as compared with FNAB-cytology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined FNAB-Tg/cytology is significantly more sensitive and accurate at detecting metastatic nodes than FNAB-cytology alone. FNAB-Tg was better at diagnosing metastases in small lymph nodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Eunhee
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong Seon
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyu Ri
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Jung Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Yoon Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Do Joon
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Bo Youn
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Dong Gyu
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Na
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
chemical_list: D013954:Thyroglobulin