Utility of Preoperative Ultrasonography in Transferred Patients with Suspicious Malignancy on Ultrasonography-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Nodules: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the utility and characteristics of preoperative ultrasonography (US) in patients transferred to referral hospitals from local clinics with a diagnosis of malignancy on US-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology of thyroid nodules.Material/MethodsFrom January 2018 to June 2018, 109 transferred patients underwent preoperative US in our hospital for suspected thyroid malignancy on cytological analysis after US-guided fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules in local clinics. Preoperative US was performed by a single radiologist in all patients. Among them, 6 were excluded from the study because of refusal of thyroid surgery. Preoperative US and histopathological results were compared in all patients.ResultsAfter thyroid surgery, pathological examination revealed papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) (n=98), follicular adenoma (n=1), and nodular hyperplasia (n=4). Of the 103 patients, 91 exhibited suspicious US findings on the preoperative US, whereas 12 did not. In the 91 patients with suspicious US findings, PTC (n=90) and follicular adenoma (n=1) were confirmed after thyroid surgery. In the 12 patients with no suspicious US findings, PTC (n=8) and nodular hyperplasia (n=4) were confirmed after thyroid surgery. On repeat analysis of the cytological slides of the 4 nodular hyperplasia cases from the local clinics, Bethesda category II (n=1) and III (n=3) were determined.ConclusionsIn the transferred patients with a malignant cytology, preoperative US might be helpful to detect false-positive cytology cases.