Thyroid carcinoma is one of the leading malignancies in Thailand increasingly prevalent in the female population. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is a widely used diagnostic tool for evaluation of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. Thyroid FNA is a routine procedure universally performed in Thai hospitals by a variety of clinical specialists. Manual guidance is the first-line choice complemented by ultrasound assistance in selected cases. Despite national guidelines recommendations, the diagnostic criteria and terminology of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) was slowly adopted in the local settings. Currently, the Bethesda system is actively promoted by the local professional societies as a uniform reporting system. Experience with thyroid FNA has been rarely reported to date—only a handful of publications are available in local journals. Our review, in addition to presenting various aspects of thyroid FNA in Thailand, established for the first time national references for a certain statistical outputs of TBSRTC based on the original multi-institutional cohort. The risk of malignancy in 2,017 operated thyroid nodules collected from three tertiary thyroid cancer centers was 21.7%, 14.7%, 35.9%, 44.4%, 76.7%, and 92.6% for categories I to VI, respectively. The malignancy risk in several diagnostic categories (II to IV) was higher than the risk estimated by TBSRTC and recent meta-analysis studies. We endorse the use of uniform terminology of the Bethesda system in Thailand, which will help facilitate communication among diverse medical professionals involved in the management of patients with thyroid nodules, to share local experience with the international audience.
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The Asian Thyroid Working Group, from 2017 to 2023 Kennichi Kakudo, Chan Kwon Jung, Zhiyan Liu, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Andrey Bychkov, Huy Gia Vuong, Somboon Keelawat, Radhika Srinivasan, Jen-Fan Hang, Chiung-Ru Lai Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2023; 57(6): 289. CrossRef
Application of the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology for classification of thyroid nodules: A clinical and cytopathological characteristics in Bhutanese population Sonam Choden, Chimi Wangmo, Sushna Maharjan Diagnostic Cytopathology.2021; 49(11): 1179. CrossRef
Patient Discomfort in Relation to Thyroid Nodule Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA) Performed with or without Parenteral and/or Topical Anesthetic Chenxiang Cao, Sina Jasim, Amrita Cherian, Aziza Nassar, Ana-Maria Chindris, Ana Marcella Rivas, Stephanie Bonnett, Melanie Caserta, Marius N. Stan, Victor J. Bernet Endocrine Practice.2020; 26(12): 1497. CrossRef
Incidence and malignancy rates classified by The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) – An 8-year tertiary center experience in Thailand Yotsapon Thewjitcharoen, Siriwan Butadej, Soontaree Nakasatien, Phawinpon Chotwanvirat, Sriurai Porramatikul, Sirinate Krittiyawong, Nampetch Lekpittaya, Thep Himathongkam Journal of Clinical & Translational Endocrinology.2019; 16: 100175. CrossRef
The Use of Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA) Cytology in Patients with Thyroid Nodules in Asia: A Brief Overview of Studies from the Working Group of Asian Thyroid FNA Cytology Chan Kwon Jung, SoonWon Hong, Andrey Bychkov, Kennichi Kakudo Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2017; 51(6): 571. CrossRef
Thyroid FNA cytology in Asian practice—Active surveillance for indeterminate thyroid nodules reduces overtreatment of thyroid carcinomas K. Kakudo, M. Higuchi, M. Hirokawa, S. Satoh, C. K. Jung, A. Bychkov Cytopathology.2017; 28(6): 455. CrossRef
Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a well accepted initial approach in the management of thyroid lesions. It has come a long way since its introduction for nearly a century ago. In the Philippines, FNA of the thyroid was first introduced 30 years ago and has been utilized until now as a mainstay in the diagnosis of thyroid malignancy. The procedure is performed by pathologists, endocrinologists, surgeons, and radiologists. Most pathologists report the cytodiagnosis using a combination of the aspiration biopsy cytology method that closely resembles the histopathologic diagnosis of thyroid disorders and the six-tier nomenclature of The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. Local endocrinologists and surgeons follow the guidelines of the 2015 American Thyroid Association in the management of thyroid disorders. There is still a paucity of local research studies but available data deal with cytohistologic correlations, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates as well as usefulness of ultrasound-guided FNA. Cytohistologic correlations have a wide range of sensitivity from 30.7% to 73% and specificity from 83% to 100%. The low sensitivity can be attributed to poor tissue sampling since a majority of the thyroid FNA is done by palpation only. The reliability can be improved if FNA is guided by ultrasound as attested in both international and local studies. Overall, FNA of the thyroid has enabled the diagnosis of thyroid disorders with an accuracy of 72.8% to 87.2% and it correlates well with histopathology.
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Combining radiomics and molecular biomarkers: a novel economic tool to improve diagnostic ability in papillary thyroid cancer Qingxuan Wang, Linghui Dai, Sisi Lin, Shuwei Zhang, Jing Wen, Endong Chen, Quan Li, Jie You, Jinmiao Qu, Chunjue Ni, Yefeng Cai Frontiers in Endocrinology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Agreement between Sonographic Features and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules in a Tertiary Hospital Danette Pabalan, Ricardo Victorio Quimbo PJP.2024; 9(1): 37. CrossRef
The Asian Thyroid Working Group, from 2017 to 2023 Kennichi Kakudo, Chan Kwon Jung, Zhiyan Liu, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Andrey Bychkov, Huy Gia Vuong, Somboon Keelawat, Radhika Srinivasan, Jen-Fan Hang, Chiung-Ru Lai Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2023; 57(6): 289. CrossRef
Application of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology in the Pediatric Population Huy Gia Vuong, Ayana Suzuki, Hee Young Na, Pham Van Tuyen, Doan Minh Khuy, Hiep Canh Nguyen, Tikamporn Jitpasutham, Agustina Abelardo, Takashi Amano, So Yeon Park, Chan Kwon Jung, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Ryohei Katoh, Kennichi Kakudo, Andrey Bychkov American Journal of Clinical Pathology.2021; 155(5): 680. CrossRef
Thyroid FNA cytology in Asian practice—Active surveillance for indeterminate thyroid nodules reduces overtreatment of thyroid carcinomas K. Kakudo, M. Higuchi, M. Hirokawa, S. Satoh, C. K. Jung, A. Bychkov Cytopathology.2017; 28(6): 455. CrossRef
The Use of Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA) Cytology in Patients with Thyroid Nodules in Asia: A Brief Overview of Studies from the Working Group of Asian Thyroid FNA Cytology Chan Kwon Jung, SoonWon Hong, Andrey Bychkov, Kennichi Kakudo Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine.2017; 51(6): 571. CrossRef