title: Cytopathologic diagnosis of fine needle aspiration biopsies of thyroid nodules.
abstract: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is an important diagnostic tool in patients with thyroid lesions. Several systems have been proposed for the cyropathologic diagnosis of the thyroid nodules. However cases with indeterminate cytological findings still remain a matter of debate. In this review we analyze all literature regarding Thyroid Cytopathology Reporting systems trying to identify the most suitable methodology to use in clinical practice for the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules. A review of the English literature was conducted, and data were analyzed and summarized and integrated from the authors' perspective. The main purpose of thyroid FNA is to identify patients with higher risk for malignancy, and to prevent unnecessary surgeries for benign conditions. The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology is the most widely used system for the diagnosis of thyroid FNA specimens. This system also contains guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of indeterminate or suspicious for malignancy cases. In conclusion, patients who require repeated FNAs for indeterminate diagnoses will be resolved by repeat FNA in a percentage of 72%-80%.
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Misiakos
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Margari
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meristoudis
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nickolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Machairas
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schizas
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petropoulos
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spathis
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karakitsos
authors.affiliation: Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Schizas, Konstantinos Petropoulos, Anastasios Machairas, 3 Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Attica, 12462 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machairas
keywords: Biopsy; Cytopathology; Fine needle; Nodule; Papillary cancer; Thyroid