title: A cost analysis of thyroid core needle biopsy vs. diagnostic surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Twenty percent of thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) is indeterminate. Because 3 in 4 of these are actually benign, a method of clarifying the pathology could help patients to avoid diagnostic thyroidectomy. Recently, core needle biopsy (CNB) has been proven to be highly reliable for this purpose. However, there are no reports of any potential cost benefit provided by CNB. Here we analyzed the impact on management costs of CNB compared with traditional diagnostic surgery in indeterminate FNA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 24 months, 198 patients with thyroid indeterminate cytology underwent CNB at Ospedale Israelitico of Rome or diagnostic surgery at the Department of Surgery of Sapienza University of Rome. We tabulated costs of the medical instruments, operating theater, surgical team, patient recovery, and pathologic examination for each method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In CNB group, 42.4% of patients had benign lesions and avoided surgery, 20.8% was cancer, and the remaining 36.8% uncertain. The malignancy rate in CNB group was 26.4%, and mean cost of CNB per nodule was 1,032€. In diagnostic surgery group, 24.7% had cancer and 75.3% had benign lesions, and mean expense for each thyroidectomy was 6,364€. In an ideal cohort of 100 patients with indeterminate FNA, the cost of CNB is 33.8% lower than that of diagnostic surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CNB can detect a large proportion of the benign thyroid nodules that are classified as indeterminate by FNA. These patients can avoid diagnostic thyroidectomy and hospitals can reduce their surgical costs by one-third.
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Pierpaolo
authors: P
authors: Trimboli
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Naim
authors: N
authors: Nasrollah
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Amendola
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Crescenzi
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Leo
authors: L
authors: Guidobaldi
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Chiesa
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Maglio
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Nigri
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Pontecorvi
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Romanelli
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Giacomelli
authors: 1 Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 2 Section of Surgery, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 3 Pathology Unit, Campus Bio-medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy ; 4 Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy ; 5 Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy ; 6 Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Sapienza University, Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy ; 7 Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy ; 8 Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Valabrega
keywords: Thyroid; core needle biopsy (CNB); cost-effectiveness; cytology; surgery