title: SAME-DAY FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY DIAGNOSIS FOR THYROID NODULES ACHIEVES RAPID ANXIETY DECREASE AND HIGH DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The time between the moment of referral for the diagnostic workup for thyroid nodules and the outcome can be worrisome for patients. In general, patients experience high levels of anxiety during the evaluation of a lesion suspicious for cancer. Therefore, the implementation of same-day fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) diagnosis is becoming standard-of-care for many solid tumors. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of same-day FNAC diagnosis for thyroid nodules and to assess patient anxiety during the diagnostic process.
  
  
  METHODS
  For feasibility of same-day FNAC diagnosis, we assessed the proportion of patients receiving a diagnosis at the end of the visit. Accuracy was measured by comparing histology with the FNAC result. Patient anxiety was measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory at 6 moments during the diagnostic workup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 131 included patients, 112 (86%) were female, and the mean age was 53 years. All patients, except those with a nondiagnostic FNAC result (n = 26; 20%), had a diagnosis at the end of the day. There were only two discordant results. Anxiety levels at the beginning of the day were high throughout the group, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) score 43.1 (SD 2.0) and decreased significantly more in patients with a benign FNAC result (STAI score 30.2), compared to patients with a malignant or indeterminate result (STAI score 39.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Distress of patients with a thyroid nodule undergoing same-day FNAC diagnostics was high. Same-day FNAC diagnosis is feasible and accurate for the evaluation of thyroid nodules. Therefore, same-day FNAC diagnosis seems a safer, more patient-friendly approach to diagnose thyroid nodules.
authors.forename: Lutske
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lodewijk
authors.forename: Menno R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vriens
authors.forename: Wessel M C M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Vorselaars
authors.forename: Nick T M
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: van der Meij
authors.forename: Jakob W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kist
authors.forename: Maarten W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Barentsz
authors.forename: Helena M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Verkooijen
authors.forename: Inne H M Borel
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Rinkes
authors.forename: Gerlof D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Valk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult