Interobserver Reproducibility of Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration Using the UK Royal College of Pathologists’ Classification System: Table 1

Abstract

To the Editor In their article in the June 2011 issue of the Journal , Kocjan et al1 raise very important questions about the terminology of thyroid cytopathology. Specifically, a concept has aroused our curiosity: interobserver reproducibility. The United Kingdom Royal College of Pathologists Classification System (UKRCPCS) for reporting thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens2 undoubtedly represents another step toward standardization, improved clinical significance, and usefulness of thyroid FNA. During the past decade, several classification schemes for thyroid gland FNA have been proposed by various professional organizations. Most of these schemes consist of 4 to 6 diagnostic categories,3–10 which are not always comparable with each other. This has led to confusion and differences in perceptions of diagnostic terminology in cytopathology reporting of thyroid FNA between cytopathologists and clinicians.11,12 This confusion is even more significant if it is considered that many pathology departments do not use standardized diagnostic categories for the reporting of cytologic diagnoses of thyroid nodular lesions, but rather describe the findings.13 Among several classification schemes, the 5-class system proposed by the British association, Royal College of Physicians, in 20027 was accepted with some changes by the Italian Society of Pathology and Cytopathology–Italian Section of the International Academy of Pathology (SIAPEC-IAP) in 2007.8 The reporting system in use in the United Kingdom, following publication of a 6-class system, namely, The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC),4 was updated by a working group of The Royal College of Pathologists2 and is now quite similar to TBSRTC. Particularly in category Thy1, the use of Thy1c, in which “c” indicates a cystic lesion, was introduced; also in category Thy2, the use of Thy2c, in …