Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration of Thyroid Nodules Measuring Less than 5 mm: Effects on Specimen Adequacy and Diagnosis

作者：Kim Dong Wook; Jung Soo Jin^*; In Hyun Sin; Eom Jae Wook; Ryu Ji Hwa; Kim Young Wook

来源：Acta Cytologica, 2013, 57(1): 38-44.

DOI：10.1159/000343249

• Small solid thyroid nodule
• Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration
• Fine-needle biopsy

Objective: We aimed to assess the adequacy and efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) for small solid thyroid nodules (SSTNs) with the largest diameter %26lt; 5 mm and compared these according to nodule size. Study Design: Among 656 SSTNs in 569 patients, each SSTN was classified into 1 of 4 groups according to the largest diameter: 1 mm %26lt;= group A %26lt; 2 mm; 2 mm %26lt;= group B %26lt; 3 mm; 3 mm %26lt;= group C %26lt; 4 mm, and 4 mm %26lt;= group D %26lt; 5 mm. We compared the adequacy and efficacy of US-FNA between these groups using histopathologic results as a reference standard. Results: 571 (87.0%) SSTNs were adequately sampled by US-FNA and 200 of these were histopathologically confirmed. The adequacy of US-FNA for SSTNs varied according to the nodule diameter: the smaller the nodule diameter, the lower the diagnostic adequacy. The diagnostic efficacy of US-FNA for SSTNs showed a significant relationship with nodule size: diagnostic efficacy in groups A and B was lower than in groups C and D. Conclusions: The adequacy of US-FNA for SSTNs tended to decrease with decreased nodule size, and diagnostic efficacy of US-FNA for SSTNs with the largest diameter %26lt; 3 mm was lower than for those %26gt;= 3 mm.

• 出版日期2013