Diagnostic utility of repeat fine needle aspirations of benign thyroid nodules
Authors' conclusion
Repeat FNA biopsies did not provide an additional diagnostic value in the evaluation of benign thyroid nodules, and often led to unwarranted follow-up procedures and significantly increased health care cost.
Study context
- Population
- Thyroid nodules with initially benign FNA diagnosis over a 5-year period; mean age 57.4 years (range 11–93), 83.8% female
- Participants
- 1,658 benign nodules
- Comparison
- Single FNA vs one-time repeat FNA vs multiple repeat FNA of initially benign thyroid nodules
- One-time repeatn = 141
- Multiple repeatn = 42
- Outcome
- Diagnostic utility (PPV) of repeat FNA of initially benign thyroid nodules
Performance
As reported in the abstract
PPV
One-time repeat vs Single FNA: P < 0.001 · Multiple repeat vs Single FNA: P = 0.002
Further findings
Repeat FNA results and resection outcomes
- Benign nodules without repeat FNA with benign resection
- 124
- One-time repeat: remained benign on repeat FNA
- 101 (13 benign on resection)
- One-time repeat: atypical repeat FNA
- 11 (5 resected: 4 benign, 1 atypical follicular neoplasm with HRAS and TERT promoter mutations)
- Multiple repeat: still benign on repeat FNA
- 35 (1 benign resection)
- Multiple repeat: atypical repeat biopsies
- 2 (1 PTC on resection with CCD6::RET fusion)
Total cost for workup of previously benign nodules
- Total cost
- $285,454
Original publication
Diagnostic utility of repeat fine needle aspirations of benign thyroid nodules. Eur Thyroid J. Published 23 February 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →