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Updated: Oct 13, 2026
An Ex vivo Culture System to Study Thyroid Development
Published on: June 6, 2014
Is thyroid frozen section too much for too little?
Melanie L Richards1, Robert Chisholm, Jan M Bruder
1Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio 78229-3900, USA. richardsm@uthscsa.edu
Background:
The role of frozen section (FS) in thyroid disease is controversial. The goal of this study was to identify a cohort of patients who may or may not benefit from FS.
Methods:
Two hundred thirty-one patients who underwent thyroidectomy were evaluated in regard to fine-needle aspiration (FNA), FS, and the extent of surgery.
Results:
In all, 155 patients underwent FNA, 140 patients underwent FS, and 103 patients had both. A final diagnosis of malignancy was obtained in 47 of 231 patients. FNA had a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 99%, and FS had a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 100% for diagnosing malignancy. Accounting for the clinical findings and FNA results, FS results altered the extent of thyroidectomy in 1 of 103 patients.
Conclusions:
The increased costs for the operative time and the pathologists needed to obtain routine FS are not supported with any substantial benefit in patient outcome.
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