Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: In our clinic we aimed to assess ultrasonographic and histopathologic data of thyroid nodules of patients with nodular thyroid disease reported their repeated cytologic results as non-diagnostic.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with nodular thyroid disease whom their TFNAB results were reported 2–3 times non-diagnostically (due to large nodule, ultrasonographically suspicious nodule, high elastosonographic score or strain index, family history of thyroid cancer) have enrolled in this study and their data were assessed. Demographic and ultrasonographic features of these patients and of who their cytologic results were reported malignant features of tumor were also assessed.

Results: 40(53.3%) of patients had euthyroid multinodulary goiter (MNG), 8(10.7%) euthyroid nodulary goiter(NG), 17(22.7%) toxic MNG, 6(8%) toxic diffuse MNG, 1(1.3%) toxic diffuse NG, 1(1.3%) relapsed operated MNG and 2(2.7%) relapsed operated NG\. 45 of patients (60%) were euthyroid, 25(33.3%) hyperthyroid and 5(6.7%) hypothyroid. In 41 patients(54.7%) nodul(es) was/were localized at right lobe, in 34(45.3%) at left lobe. Ultrasonographically, microcalcification was found in 30 nodules(40.0%) whereas macrocalcification was found in 20 nodules. 45 nodules(60%) had irregular borders, 28 nodules (37.3%) had hypoechoic halo. Peripheral vascularity was found in 17(22.7%) nodules, peripheral macrocalcification was found in 1 nodul(1.3%). After surgery 57 nodules(76%) were reported benign, 18(24%) malignant. Of malignant nodules 17 nodules (94.4%) had papillary carcinoma whereas 1 nodul had follicular carcinoma. Mean tumour diameter was 0.77±0.63 (range 0.1–2.2) cm. In one patient(5.6%) vascular invasion, in 5 (27.8%) capsular invasion, in 1(5.6%) extracapsular extension and in 6 (33.3%) multicentricity was found.

Conclusion: In our study we found the rate malignancy 24% as high for thyroid nodules which were performed FNA biopsy and reported repeated non-diagnostic cytology results. Therefore, we conclude that when treatment is planned for the patients that have non-diagnostic cytology possibility of high rate of malignancy as we found in this study may be considered.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector