title: Detection of BRAF mutations on direct smears of thyroid fine-needle aspirates through cell transfer technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the utility of the cell transfer technique (CTT) for BRAF molecular testing on thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based BRAF molecular testing was performed on tissues obtained through CTT from both air-dried and ethanol-fixed direct smears of thyroid FNA specimens and then compared with the corresponding thyroidectomy formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues on 30 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BRAF testing was successfully performed on 29 of 30 air-dried CTT, 27 of 30 ethanol-fixed CTT, and 27 of 30 FFPE tissues. The results exhibited 11, 13, and 13 BRAF mutations and 18, 14, and 14 wild types for the air-dried CTT, the ethanol-fixed CTT, and the FFPE tissues, respectively. The concordance rate was 96% between air-dried and ethanol-fixed CTT tissues, 88% between air-dried CTT and FFPE tissues, and 92% between ethanol-fixed CTT and FFPE tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCR-based BRAF mutational testing can be reliably performed on the direct smears of the thyroid FNA specimens through the application of CTT.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Qiuying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Kristi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carvin
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Randolph
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Kristin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Post
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Kendra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Curless
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Shaoxiong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Harvey M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. hhwu@iupui.edu.
authors.forename: Howard H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009154:Mutation; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
keywords: BRAF mutation; Cell transfer; Cytology; Molecular; Thyroid