False-positive cytopathology results for papillary thyroid carcinoma: A trap for thyroid surgeons

Abstract

Objectives

Current preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules remains imperfect despite recent advances in cytopathology and molecular diagnostics. False-positivity in preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) may lead to overtreatment of patients, including total thyroidectomy, and sometimes to lawsuits for misdiagnosis and malpractice. In this study, we analyzed clinical characteristics and pathologic findings in patients with false-positivity for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in FNAC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed permanent pathology results from 3788 patients who underwent thyroid surgery. Among them, 48 patients had lesions that were deemed suspicious or positive (Bethesda class V or VI) for PTC in preoperative FNAC. We reviewed clinic-pathologic data, radiologic findings and surgical planning in these patients.

Results

The prevalence of pathologic thyroiditis was significantly higher among patients with false-positive FNAC results than in those with confirmed PTC (54.2% versus 9.2%, P < 0.001). The analysis of the permanent pathology reports showed that 26 patients had chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis and 22 patients had no evidence of thyroiditis. Among the patients without pathologic thyroiditis, 19 patients (86.4%) had nodular hyperplasia and 3 (13.6%) had follicular adenoma, while among the patients with pathologic thyroiditis, 7 (26.9%) had no nodule, 14 (53.8%) had nodular hyperplasia, 2 (7.7%) had hyalinized nodules, 2 (7.7%) had follicular adenoma, and 1 (3.8%) had a hyalinizing trabecular tumor. In 42 patients, the extent of surgery (total thyroidectomy or hemithyroidectomy) was to be determined according to intraoperative frozen section biopsy results. Among them, 4 (10.5%) had inconclusive frozen section results, and 38 (90.5%) had benign results on frozen section.

Conclusions

Patient counseling about the possibility of false-positivity is still important. And the presence of thyroiditis might create confusion in the interpretation of cytopathologic results.

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