title: VE1 antibody is not highly specific for the BRAF V600E mutation in thyroid cytology categories with the exception of malignant cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the utility of the VE1 antibody that can detect a mutant protein resulting from the BRAF V600E mutation as a diagnostic tool for thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed VE1 immunocytochemistry on 202 FNAC specimens from surgically confirmed thyroid nodules. The results were compared with the molecular analyses of the BRAF mutation in these specimens matched with their corresponding histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diagnoses of FNAC specimens included benign (9.4%), atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (11.4%), follicular neoplasm/suspicious for follicular neoplasm (2.0%), suspicious for malignancy (9.4%), and malignancy (65.8%). VE1 immunostaining was positive in 71.3% of FNAC specimens. The overall sensitivity of the VE1 antibody was 88.8%, specificity was 71.2%, positive predictive value was 88.2%, negative predictive value was 72.4%, and diagnostic accuracy was 83.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VE1 immunocytochemistry in thyroid FNAC as a screening test for BRAF mutations is highly specific for malignant category cases but can be suboptimal due to its high false-positive rate for the nonmalignant cases.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Pathology.
authors.forename: Sang-Ryung
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Pathology.
authors.forename: Hyunee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Pathology.
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Pathology.
authors.forename: Kyi Beom
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Surgery.
authors.forename: Jeonghun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Surgery.
authors.forename: Euy Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism, and.
authors.forename: Dae Jung
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism, and.
authors.forename: Yoon-Sok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Medical Genetics, and.
authors.forename: Seon-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics in Clinical Trial Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Pathology.
authors.forename: So Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Pathology, drjhk@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jang-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
keywords: BRAF mutation; Fine-needle aspiration biopsy; Immunocytochemistry; Liquid-based cytology; Thyroid gland