Role of ultrasonography in patients with cytologically follicular thyroid tumor.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (US) in the management of thyroid nodules when the cytology is indeterminate as follicular tumor on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).


METHODS
In 2006, 6586 patients with thyroid nodules, which were detected on US underwent FNAB in our department. Of these patients, we extracted 438 patients (6.7%) whose nodules were cytologically diagnosed as indeterminate. Of them, 227 patients were diagnosed as follicular tumor were enrolled in this study. Surgery was performed according to our criteria for surgical indication. We compared the results of clinical findings including US classification and final histopathological diagnosis.


RESULTS
One hundred thirty-seven of 227 underwent surgical treatment. Thirty-three (24%) were diagnosed as malignancy pathologically. Large nodule or high serum thyroglobulin level were not associated with an increased risk of malignancy. Ultrasonographic evaluation as malignancy was directly linked to pathological diagnosis as thyroid carcinoma (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
US plays a crucial role in deciding whether surgical treatment is necessary for cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules as follicular tumor.
Department of Surgery, Kuma Hospital, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. kihara@kuma-h.or.jp
Minoru
M
Kihara
Yasuhiro
Y
Ito
Mitsuyoshi
M
Hirokawa
Hiroo
H
Masuoka
Tomonori
T
Yabuta
Chisato
C
Tomoda
Takuya
T
Higashiyama
Hiroyuki
H
Inoue
Mitsuhiro
M
Fukushima
Yuuki
Y
Takamura
Kaoru
K
Kobayashi
Akihiro
A
Miya
Akira
A
Miyauchi
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography
D013954:Thyroglobulin