Comparison of Fine-Needle Aspiration and Fine-Needle Capillary Sampling of Thyroid Nodules A Prospective Study With Emphasis on the Influence of Nodule Size

摘要

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to compare the sampling efficiency of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and fine-needle capillary (FNG) sampling in thyroid nodules, in which the authors specifically analyzed the influence of nodule size. METHODS: This study included 280 thyroid nodules in 275 consecutive patients. The nodules were divided into 4 size subgroups: <5.0 mm, from 5.1 to 10.0 mm, from 10.1 to 20.0 mm, and >20.0 mm. Each nodule was:sampled by both FNA and FNC. The final cytppathologic findings were reported. The smears were scored and then, categorized as diagndsticaily inadequate, adequate, or superior on the basis of 4 parameters, which included background clot or bloodi the number of obtained cells, preserved tissue architecture, and cellular degeneration. RESUtTS: The k scores for agreement of the cytopathologic results between FNA and FNC sampling in the 4 size subgroups were 0.377, 0.455, 0.751, and; 0.352 for nodules that measured <5.0 mm, from 5.1 to 10.0 mm, from 10.1 to 20.0 mm, and >20.0 mm, respectively. The proportion of nondiagnostic of FNAs was significantly lowerthanthe proportion of nohdiagnostic FNCj : samples in nodules that measured >20.0 mm (P = ;037). Scores for the 4 diagnostic parameters were significantly greater irv FNAs than in FNC samples in nodules that measured from 5.1 to 10.0 mm;and >20^0 mm ,05). Also, FNA yielded significantly more diagnostically superior specimens than FNC sampling in nbduies that measured from 5.1 to 10.0 mm-;: and::>20.0smm (P<:05 for both). CONCLUSIONS: The current findings indicated that FNA may be more suitable than'; "; FNC for sampling nodules that measure from 5.1 to 10.0 mm and >20.0 mm; whereas, for nodules that measure:<5.Q; mm and from 10.1 to 20,0 mm, the 2 techniques could yield specimens with similar quality.