Ultrasound-Based Indications for Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration: Outcome of a TIRADS-Based Approach versus Operators ’ Expertise

Conclusions: Recommendations for FNA based on the investigators ’ US expertise demonstrated a better sensitivity for thyroid cancer in the 2 best prognostic groups, while TIRADS methodology showed superior specificity over the full prognostic range of cancers. Thus, personal experience provided more accurate diagnoses of malignancy, missing a lower number of s mall thyroid cancers, but the TIRADS approach resulted in a similar accuracy for the diagnosis of potentially aggressive lesions while sparing a relevant number of FNAs. Until it is not clearly stated what the goal of the US evaluation is, that is to diagnose all or only clinically relevant thyroid cancers, it cannot be determined whether one diagnostic approach is superior to the other for recommending FNA.Eur Thyroid J
Source: European Thyroid Journal - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research