Thyroid nodules with Hürthle cells: the malignancy risk in relation to the FNA outcome category

• Published in: Journal of endocrinological investigation 2019-11, Vol.42 (11), p.1319-1327
• Main Authors: Słowińska-Klencka, D., Wysocka-Konieczna, K., Woźniak-Oseła, E., Sporny, S., Popowicz, B., Sopiński, J., Kaczka, K., Kuzdak, K., Pomorski, L., Klencki, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - diagnosis; Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - surgery; Biopsy, Fine-Needle - methods; Cytodiagnosis - methods; Endocrinology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Internal Medicine; Iodine; Male; Malignancy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Nodules; Original; Original Article; Oxyphil Cells - pathology; Prognosis; Thyroid; Thyroid Gland - pathology; Thyroid Gland - surgery; Thyroid Neoplasms - classification; Thyroid Neoplasms - diagnosis; Thyroid Neoplasms - surgery; Thyroid Nodule - diagnosis; Thyroid Nodule - surgery; Thyroidectomy
• ISSN: 1720-8386; 0391-4097; 1720-8386
• DOI: 10.1007/s40618-019-01055-0

Purpose The aim was to find whether the presence of Hürthle cells (HC) in a smear influences the categorization of FNA results or the risk of malignancy (RoM) of particular categories of cytological diagnosis. Methods 25,220 FNA performed in a single center in years 2005–2017 were analyzed. Almost all the examined patients were exposed to moderate iodine deficiency for most of their lives. The distribution of FNA outcome categories was compared between two groups: with or without HC (HC and non-HC). The RoM was evaluated on the basis of postoperative histopathological examination (3082 patients). Results HC were found in 7.5% of diagnostic FNA. HC nodules were classified into categories II (78.2% vs. 91.9%, p