%0 Journal Article
%T The Utility of Fine-Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis and Management of Follicular Thyroid Neoplasms:One Institution¡¯s 10-Year Experience
%A Robert Deeb
%A Osama Alassi
%A Saurabh Sharma
%A Mei Lu
%A Tamer Ghanem
%J International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery
%P 18-23
%@ 2168-5460
%D 2012
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ijohns.2012.12004
%X <b>Background</b>: Classical teaching dictates that follicular adenoma (FA) can be distinguished from follicular carcinoma (FC) based on histologic features only. We retrospectively reviewed our institution¡¯s 10-year experience in the use of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) to diagnose follicular thyroid neoplasms. <b>Methods</b>: Patients who had FNA of a thyroid neoplasm from 2000 to 2010 were reviewed. Diagnoses of FA, FC, or follicular neoplasm-not otherwise specified (NOS) were included. Cytopathological results were correlated with surgical pathology. <b>Results</b>: Of 138 patients, 65% underwent surgery. FNA diagnosis for FA had a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 71%. 25% of patients with an FNA diagnosis of FA were found to have cancer after surgical specimen examination. FNA diagnosis for FC had a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 94%. <b>Conclusions</b>: FNA has a low sensitivity for diagnosing FA. Surgical pathology remains the gold standard for differentiating follicular carcinoma from adenoma.
%K Fine Needle Aspiration
%K Follicular
%K Thyroid
%K Adenoma
%K Carcinoma
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=21712