What Is the Ideal Core Number for Ultrasonography-Guided Thyroid Biopsy of Cytologically Inconclusive Nodules?

Core needle biopsy of the thyroid under ultrasonographic guidance provides a larger tissue sample and may facilitate a more precise histologic diagnosis, reducing the need for repetitive fine-needle aspiration or a diagnostic operation. However, there is no consensus regarding the ideal number of specimens to be obtained for ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy. The aim of this study was to decide the ideal core number for ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy of cytologically inconclusive nodules.

Sixty consecutive biopsies were performed in 60 thyroid nodules with Bethesda Category I or III cytology. Three biopsy cores were obtained for each thyroid nodule. The first biopsy specimens were taken from the nodule, while the second and third specimens obtained included the nodular tissue, nodular capsule, and surrounding parenchyma. Diagnostic ability was evaluated according to the following: protocol A, first specimen; protocol B, first and second specimens; and protocol C, all specimens. The McNemar test was used for statistical analysis.

Of the 60 nodules, diagnostic ability was achieved in 41 nodules (68%) with protocol A, in 56 nodules (93%) with protocol B, and in 58 nodules (97%) with protocol C. The diagnostic ability of protocols B and C was significantly higher than that of protocol A (all P values < .001). However, the diagnostic ability of protocol B was not significantly different from that of protocol C.

Ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy for cytologically inconclusive thyroid nodules should obtain at least 2 core specimens with intranodular and capsule targets.