title: Core needle biopsy can minimise the non-diagnostic results and need for diagnostic surgery in patients with calcified thyroid nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of core needle biopsy (CNB) for calcified thyroid nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2008 and July 2011, 264 patients underwent ultrasound-guided CNB for 272 calcified thyroid nodules at our institution. We retrospectively evaluated the incidence of technical failure, non-diagnostic readings, and the diagnostic performance of CNB, and analysed the relationship between the types of calcification and the CNB results. Finally, the incidence of diagnostic surgery was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of technical failure was 1.1 % (3/275) and that of non-diagnostic results was 0.7 % (2/272). The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CNB were 94.7 %, 89.5 %, 100 %, 100 %, and 90.2 %, respectively. There were no significant differences according to the calcification subtype for either the non-diagnostic results or the incidence of technical failure (P > 0.99 and P > 0.99). CNB could prevent diagnostic surgery for 92.9 % (13/14) of the patients who showed more than two non-diagnostic results in previous FNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CNB can minimise the non-diagnostic results as well as diagnostic surgery in patients with calcified thyroid nodules. Therefore, CNB may be used as a first-line diagnostic tool for calcified thyroid nodules rather than FNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CNB results show the low incidence of technical failure (1.1 %, 3/275). • CNB results show the low non-diagnostic rate (0.7 %, 2/272). There were no significant differences according to the calcification subtype. CNB can prevent unnecessary diagnostic surgery in 92.9 % (13/14).
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-Gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Ju
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jung Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Jeong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Kyoung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Kyun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Dong Eun
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Tae Yon
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Tae Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Bae
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Kee
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Shong
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018249:Adenoma, Oxyphilic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods; D062005:Biopsy, Large-Core Needle / Q000379:methods; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061705:Image-Guided Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D055815:Young Adult