Value of fine-needle aspiration in evaluating large thyroid nodules.
The American Thyroid Association (ATA) recommends using ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in order to evaluate supracentimetric and suspect thyroid nodules. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effective use of FNA before surgery for nodules over 3 cm in diameter.



In this retrospective study, we analyzed the results of ultrasound-guided FNA and postoperative histological analysis in 843 nodules >3 cm.



The FNA was informative in 42.6%. The correlation with the final histological analysis was 94.8% for benign nodules and 71.0% for malignant nodules. The FNA had a positive predictive value of 71%, a specificity of 97%, a sensitivity of 56%, and a 4.7% rate of false-negative results.



Because there is a nonnegligible FNA risk of error, notably allowing the evolution of a cancer in 1 of 20 cases, the FNA data should not delay surgical intervention for potentially suspect nodules >3 cm in diameter. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 32-36, 2017.
Service ORL et Chirurgie Cervico-faciale, CHU de Strasbourg, Strasbourg Cedex, France.
Thibaut
T
Raguin
Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Centre Paul Strauss, Strasbourg, France.
Olivier
O
Schneegans
Service de Chirurgie Viscérale et Thyroïdienne, Clinique Saint-Anne, Strasbourg, France.
Jean-François
JF
Rodier
Service de Chirurgie Viscérale et Thyroïdienne, Clinique Saint-Anne, Strasbourg, France.
Pierre-Philippe
PP
Volkmar
Service de Santé Publique, CHU de Strasbourg, France.
Eric
E
Sauleau
Service ORL et Chirurgie Cervico-faciale, CHU de Strasbourg, Strasbourg Cedex, France.
Christian
C
Debry
Service d'Otorhinolaryngologie et Chirurgie Cervico-faciale, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Guillaume
G
Debonnecaze
Service d'Anatomopathologie, Centre Paul Strauss, Strasbourg, France.
Jean-Pierre
JP
Ghnassia
Service d'Otorhinolaryngologie et Chirurgie Cervico-faciale, Institut Universitaire du Cancer, Toulouse, France.
Agnès
A
Dupret-Bories
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult
false negative results; fine-needle aspiration; sensitivity and specificity; thyroid nodules; thyroid surgery