Published in:
01-02-2010 | Original Article
The false-negative rate of fine-needle aspiration cytology for diagnosing thyroid carcinoma in thyroid nodules
Authors:
Bekir Kuru, Nese Ersoz Gulcelik, Mehmet Ali Gulcelik, Halil Dincer
Published in:
Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery
|
Issue 2/2010
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Abstract
Purpose
Our aim was to define the false-negative rate of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for diagnosing thyroid carcinoma in thyroid nodules <4 cm versus ≥4 cm.
Materials and methods
Six hundred sixty-two patients with thyroid nodules who underwent FNAC and surgery at our institution were analyzed. The association of predictive factors with thyroid carcinoma was evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, and the false-negative rate of FNAC were calculated.
Results
The incidence of thyroid carcinoma was significantly higher in nodules ≥4 cm (24%) compared with nodules <4 cm (12%). The false-negative rates of FNAC were 2% in all nodules and 1.3% and 4.3% in nodules <4 cm and ≥4 cm (p = 0.9), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of FNAC were 90% and 79%, respectively.
Conclusions
The false-negative rate of FNAC is low for thyroid nodules <4 cm and for nodules ≥4 cm.