Nondiagnostic Fine Needle Aspiration of Thyroid Nodules: Review of Predisposing Factors
Authors' conclusion
A number of study design improvements suggested by this review could realistically be incorporated into higher powered future studies. Novel factors such as tissue composition anterior to the nodule or the age of the patient could also be investigated in future work. Operator experience is the most convincing procedural factor, and approaches to future studies of the FNA technique itself are proposed. That said, the factors with consensus among studies can be seen leading candidates for this future research, and the published studies illuminate a number of as yet unexplored factors that could in many cases be studied retrospectively.
Study context
- Population
- Studies of risk factors for nondiagnostic cytology at initial thyroid nodule fine needle aspiration (FNA) (patient, sonographic/nodule and procedural factors)25 studies
- Outcome
- Nondiagnostic (ND) cytology at initial FNA
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Most patient and nodule factors lack consensus on association with nondiagnostic (ND) cytology
- Some consensus for practitioner experience, nodule depth and cystic content
- No consensus for nodule hypervascularity
Original publication
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →