Clinical Outcomes for "Suspicious" Category in Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy: Patient's Sex and Nodule Size Are Possible Predictors of Malignancy (Clinical Report‪)‬

Palpable thyroid nodules are relatively common, being reported in 4% to 7% of the adult population. Most of these lesions are benign, with a malignancy rate of less than 5%. (1) Therefore, surgery with its attendant costs, risks, and complications is an unnecessary procedure for many patients. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is widely accepted as the most accurate and cost-effective tool for the initial screening and triage of thyroid nodules. (2-4) According to the "National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration State of the Science Consensus Conference," every patient with a palpable thyroid nodule is a candidate for FNA procedure. (5) The introduction of fine-needle aspiration has decreased the percentage of patients undergoing thyroidectomy by 25% and has increased the yield of surgery (ie, finding malignancy in thyroidectomy specimens) from 15% to at least 30%. (1,6)