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Background We evaluated 45 benign thyroid nodules of 40 patients treated with radiofrequency (RF) ablation and followed up for 6 months. The inclusion criteria included unilateral or bilateral thyroid nodules with compression symptoms or cosmetic problems, cytological confirmation of benignity without atypical cells, and patient refusal or unfit for surgery. There was no predilection for the size, number, ultrasound nature of the nodules, (solid, cystic, or complex). RF ablation was performed using Mygen (M-3004) RF generator from RF Medical Co., Ltd, South Korea. The volume of the nodules and clinical problems were evaluated before and after the procedure. Complications and factors related to volume reduction were evaluated. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of US-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. Results The volume reduction ratio (%) of the thyroid nodules was statistically significant. The mean VRR was 58.41 ± 15.27SD at 1 month, 73.26 ± 11.22SD at 3 months, and 82.54 ± 12.49SD at 6 months. P value was < 0.001. The radiofrequency ablation did not affect the normal thyroid function of the 38 patients who were euthyroid at the start of the study. Thyroid function normalized 1 month after ablation of the two autonomously functioning thyroid nodules. The compressive symptoms resolved in 22 patients (55%) and improved in the rest of the 18 patients (45%) with the median decreased from 8 (IQR 6–9), range 4–10 before treatment to 0 (IQR 0–1), range 0–3 after 6 months. Cosmetic problems improved in all 40 patients by P value < 0.001. The procedure had no sustained or life-threatening complications. Conclusions RF ablation was effective in reducing the size of the benign thyroid nodules and in controlling nodule-related compressive symptoms as well as cosmetic problems. There were no major complications sustained and no life-threatening complications or sequelae happened. RF ablation can be used as an alternative non-surgical minimally invasive treatment for patients with benign thyroid nodules.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) has become an important modality for identification of intra-abdominal masses. This study analyzed the accuracy of EUS-FNAB in a single medical center and explored factors related to positive diagnosis. Materials and methods: In total, 77 patients with EUS-FNAB were retrospectively reviewed from July 2016 to February 2020. “Atypical (tends to be neoplasm/malignancy),” “suspicious (first consider neoplasm/malignancy),” and “malignant” were defined as positive cytology. The final diagnoses were based on histopathologic examination. The positive rate of EUS-FNAB for the diagnosis of neoplasm and its associations with age, sex, target puncture mass size, liver function, tumor markers, albumin, hypertension, and diabetes were examined. Results: Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of EUS-FNAB cytologic diagnoses in all patients were 77.9% (60/77), 76.1% (54/71), 100%, 100%, and 26.1% (6/23), respectively. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of EUS-FNAB cytologic diagnoses in the pancreas were 80.0% (48/60), 79.3% (46/58), 100%, 100%, and 14.3% (2/14), respectively. The results of EUS-FNAB in pancreatic masses showed that the level of CA19-9 was higher in the true positive group than in the false-negative group (p0.05). Conclusions: Our single-medical center study showed that EUS-FNAB is an accurate diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of intra-abdominal masses. Further follow-up is required to explore factors associated with the true positive cytology.

Aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of diagnostic failure of o fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) procedures under the guidance of conventional computed tomography (CCT) and CT fluoroscopy (CTF) comparing their diagnostic performance by single operator in pulmonary lesions. Total of 241 patients underwent FNAB procedure (123 CCT guided and 118 CTF-guided). All pulmonary nodules were classified by size (≤10 mm, 11-20 mm, 21-30 mm and >30 mm) and diagnostic yield was calculated according to the lesion size. Independent risk factors for diagnostic performance of CCT and CTF-guided FNAB were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and diagnostic accuracy of CCT-guided FNAB were 88.2%, 100%, 100%, 70%, and 90.7%, respectively. For CTF-guided FNAB were 91.4%, 100%, 100%, 79.4%, and 93.5%, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, small lesions (OR 1,096; 95% CI, 1.045-1.148 p [Med-Science 2020; 9(3.000): 742-8]

Ectopic thyroid gland is a rare clinical entity characterized by thyroid tissue in a location other than its normal anatom- ical position. It is a developmental abnormality. The most frequent location of ectopic thyroid is at the base of the tongue, although it can be found elsewhere along the path of thyroid embryogenic descent and even at distant body locations. Single ectopy is the most common, but dual and triple ectopy has also been described. Most people with ectopic thyroid are asymptomatic. If symptoms occur, they are related to the location and size of the ectopic tissue as well as its endocrine dysfunction. The most important diagnostic procedure for detection of ectopic thyroid tissue is scintigraphy. For patients with- out symptoms, no treatment is necessary, but they need regular follow-up and action if symptoms appear. Patho- logical changes can occur in the ectopic as in the ortho- topic gland. We present a rare case of dual ectopy with subclinical hypo- thyroidism in a two-and-a-half-year-old girl and a review of cases of ectopic thyroid diagnosed in a 5-year period at the University Children’s Hospital Ljubljana.

An intraocular biopsy is performed for diagnostic, prognostic and investigational purposes. Biopsies help to confirm or exclude malignancies and differentiate inflammatory from infectious processes. Histopathological analysis is the final verdict in unresponsive uveitis, atypical inflammation, metastases and masquerade syndromes. Advances and refinement of techniques in cytopathology, immunohistochemistry, microbiological and molecular biologic study offer much more than just diagnosis. They provide prognosis based on cell characteristics and are helpful in planning treatment and intervention. Many biopsy procedures have evolved to provide more safety and minimise complications thus improving the quality of specimens or samples available for analysis. The type of biopsy and technique adopted varies based on the clinical suspicion, size and location of lesions. In uveitis, a working diagnosis of intraocular inflammation is made on clinical examination and laboratory investigations and ancillary tests. Malignancy and uveitis is interlinked and masquerade syndromes are among the commonest indications for biopsy and analysis of specimen. The various types of intraocular biopsies include aqueous tap, fine needle aspiration biopsy, vitreous biopsy, iris and ciliary body, and retinochoroidal biopsy. They will be reviewed in this article with respect to current perspective.

Introduction Ultrasound sonography provides a quick method for determining which nodule to sample for fine needle aspiration biopsy in thyroid nodules. On the other hand, the computed tomography examination is not restricted by echo attenuation and distinguishes between benign and malignant nodules. Objective To compare computed tomography examinations against ultrasound/fine needle aspiration biopsy in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Methods Data regarding computed tomography examinations, sonographic finding following fine needle aspiration biopsy, and tumor histology of 953 nodules from 698 patients who underwent thyroidectomy were collected and analyzed. The beneficial score for detection of the malignant tumor for each adopted modality was evaluated. Results Ultrasound images did not show a well-circumscribed solid mass in 89 nodules, and ultimately did not detect nodules in fine needle aspiration biopsies (false positive non-malignant nodules). Ultrasound images showed parenchymatous disease (false positive malignant nodules) in several nodules. Computed tomography examinations demonstrated higher difficulty in detection of malignant nodules of 1.0-2.0 cm size than ultrasound examination following fine needle aspiration biopsies; compared to tumor histological data, computed tomography examinations had a sensitivity of 0.879. Conclusion Computed tomography examinations are a more reliable method for differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules than ultrasound examinations followed by fine needle aspiration biopsy. Level of Evidence III. Resumo Introdução A ultrassonografia é um método rápido para determinar de qual nódulo se deve coletar uma amostra para biópsia por aspiração com agulha fina. Por outro lado, o exame de tomografia computadorizada não é restringido pela atenuação do eco e distingue entre nódulos benignos e malignos. Objetivo Comparar exames tomográficos versus biópsia por ultrassonografia/aspiração por agulha fina no diagnóstico diferencial de nódulos tireoidianos. Método Dados sobre exames tomográficos, achados ultrassonográficos após biópsia por aspiração com agulha fina e histologia tumoral de 953 nódulos de 698 pacientes submetidos à tireoidectomia foram coletados e analisados. O escore de benefício para detecção do tumor maligno para cada modalidade adotada foi avaliado. Resultados As imagens de ultrassom não mostraram uma lesão sólida bem circunscrita em 89 nódulos; e na análise final não foram detectados nódulos nas biópsias por aspiração com agulha fina (nódulos não malignos falsos positivos). As imagens ultrassonográficas mostraram doença parenquimatosa (nódulos malignos falsos positivos) em vários nódulos. Os exames de tomografia computadorizada apresentaram grandes dificuldades na detecção de nódulos malignos de 1,0-2,0 cm de tamanho em comparação com o exame de ultrassonografia após biópsias por aspiração com agulha fina; comparados aos dados histológicos do tumor, os exames de tomografia computadorizada apresentaram sensibilidade de 0,879. Conclusão Os exames de tomografia computadorizada são um método mais confiável para o diagnóstico diferencial de nódulos tireoidianos do que os exames de ultrassonografia, seguidos por biópsia por aspiração com agulha fina.

Background Conservative management of Warthin tumor (WT) may be a viable alternative to surgery, but there are concerns of missed malignancies on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). The purpose of this study is to measure the sensitivity and positive predictive value of FNAB for WT, and to identify clinical features associated with WT that can aid in this diagnosis. Methods Retrospective analysis of patients from January 1, 2006 to April 30, 2017 at a tertiary care center in London, Ontario, Canada. All patients with a diagnosis of WT on FNAB or resection were included. Electronic medical records were identified for 177 patients that fit the criteria. Study outcomes included the sensitivity and positive predictive value of FNAB alone for WT, and, when including clinical features associated with WT. Results The mean age of patients in this study was 63.2 years (SD 10.4); 115 (65%) were male, and 157 (89%) were past or present smokers. The measured sensitivity and positive predictive value of FNAB for WT were 95.8 and 97.2% respectively. Two cases were classified as WT on FNAB but confirmed at resection as mucoepidermoid carcinoma and acinic cell carcinoma. When only patients with multifocal, bilateral or incidental tumors were assessed, sensitivities and positive predictive values for each were 100%. Isolating for inferior pole location also resulted in a positive predictive value of 100%. Conclusions The sensitivity and positive predictive value of FNAB for WT in this study are high, with two false negatives on FNAB. Multifocal, bilateral, incidentaloma and inferior pole location were identified as potential clinical features that may increase the diagnostic confidence for WT, strengthening the argument for conservative management in these patients. Overall, this study serves as an initial exploration into whether clinical features may be included with FNAB results to improve the sensitivity and positive predictive value of diagnosing WT. Further research is necessary before these findings can be translated into clinical practice.

Summary We report a case of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting with a recurrent right-sided cervical lymph node necrotic cyst. A 55-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of a right-sided upper neck mass following an upper respiratory tract infection. Past medical history includes a right-sided nephrectomy secondary to a benign renal tumor and hypertension. She was evaluated by Otolaryngology, and fine-needle aspiration was performed. The mass recurred 2 months following aspiration. Ultrasound of the neck showed a 2.2 × 1.4 × 1.9 cm right cervical lymph node with a small fatty hilum but a thickened cortex. Neck computed tomography (CT) scan showed a well-defined 2.3 cm mass in the right upper neck corresponding to a necrotic cervical lymph node at level IIA. It also revealed a 7 mm calcified left thyroid nodule. Cytology revealed a moderate collection of murky fluid with mildly atypical cells presumed to be reactive given the clinical history of infection. The cyst had re-grown 2 months following aspiration. Excisional biopsy was performed and revealed metastatic classic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Subsequently, a total thyroidectomy and right neck dissection was performed. Pathology confirmed metastatic unifocal classic PTC of the right thyroid lobe and two lymph node metastases out of a total of 17 resected lymph nodes. The patient underwent radioactive iodine ablation. Subsequent I-131 radioiodine whole-body scan showed no evidence of metastases. In conclusion, metastatic PTC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a recurrent solitary cystic cervical lymph node. Learning points: Metastatic PTC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a recurrent solitary cystic cervical lymph node. A dedicated thyroid ultrasound is the preferred modality for identifying thyroid lesion over computed tomography. There is a risk of non-diagnostic cytology following FNA for cystic neck lesions, largely predicted by the cyst content of the nodule.

On the basis of the linear no-threshold theory, the Chernobyl accident was predicted to result in an incidence increase of various malignancies. In fact, there has been no cancer increase proven to be a consequence of the radiation exposure after the accident except for thyroid carcinoma in people exposed at a young age. Prior to the accident, thyroid cancer had been rarely diagnosed in children and adolescents. The ability of screening to enhance the registered incidence of thyroid tumors is known. The screening after the accident detected not only small tumors but also large neglected ones, sometimes misclassified as aggressive radiogenic cancers, which contributed to the concept of their aggressive behavior and early metastasizing. This had consequences for the practice: some experts recommended a more radical surgical treatment of supposedly radiogenic thyroid cancers. Such recommendations are generally not in agreement with the international practice. In conclusion, the treatment of Chernobyl-related thyroid carcinoma should not be different from that of sporadic one.

Highlights • Risk of malignancy at 75–90% in the high suspicion sonographic pattern of the 2015 ATA guidelines may have been over estimated. • The 2015 ATA guidelines show moderate inter-observer agreement for assigning a final risk category. • The study highlights certain sonographic features which are not included in any ATA risk categories leading to inter-observer variability., Objective To determine the interobserver variability of the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) thyroid guidelines and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the guidelines in detecting thyroid cancer. Materials and methods Sonographic patterns of 189 thyroid lesions were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists according to the 2015 guidelines. The risk of malignancy was calculated for each pattern and compared with the published expected risk of malignancy. Results The observed risk of malignancy for very low suspicion, low suspicion, intermediate suspicion and high suspicion patterns were 2%, 12.7%, 26.3% and 29.8% respectively. Interobserver agreement for final category assignment was moderate (κ 0.518). Conclusion The estimated risk of malignancy in the high suspicion pattern of the 2015 ATA thyroid biopsy guidelines appears to be less than stated. However, this needs further validation in a larger cohort study.

Introduction: Hyperechoic liver lesions identified by conventional ultrasonography are diverse in underlying pathology and most of the time require further investigations. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract which are uncommonly found in metastatic stages at first presentation. Case report: We present the case of a 51 years old woman with nonspecific symptoms in which conventional ultrasonography showed hyperechoic lesions in the right lobe of the liver with a diameter up to 40 mm. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor on the small curvature of the stomach, on the anterior wall, with central ulceration, with normal narrow band imaging (NBI) mucosal pattern and negative gastric biopsy. Contrast enhanced ultrasonography was performed, describing multiple lesions with inhomogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase and rapid washout at the end of arterial phase. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) biopsy examination was definitive for the final diagnosis of epithelioid gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The patient was diagnosed with T2N0M1 epithelioid gastric GIST, stage IV, and is currently under treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Conclusions: GIST represent a diagnostic challenge in medical practice because of its size, unusual location in the submucosal layer and lack of symptoms. The role of EUS-FNA is of paramount importance in increasing the accuracy of diagnosis in the case of GIST. The particularity in our case consists of the unusual presentation with the lack of specific symptoms and signs associated with the presence of metastatic lesions at the moment of the diagnosis of GIST.

We describe a case of nontuberculous mycobacteria infection in the thyroid gland in a 54-year-old woman who had painful thyroid enlargement. Ultrasonography showed ill-defined hypoechoic lesions without increased vascularity in both upper lobes of the thyroid gland. Fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed, and pathology showed granulomatous inflammation with necrotic debris that the pathologist suspected was subacute granulomatous thyroiditis or tuberculosis of the thyroid gland. Nontuberculous mycobacteria infection was confirmed after right hemithyroidectomy. Antimycobacterial therapy was initiated as the treatment of choice. Nontuberculous mycobacteria in the thyroid gland appear to be rare. In clinical practice, however, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis of a painful thyroid mass. For accurate diagnosis, clinical and radiological features plus histological examination are required.

Bu çalışma, 2019 yılında Bodrum[Türkiye]'da düzenlenen TRS Kongresi'nde bildiri olarak sunulmuştur. Introduction: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a well-established diagnostic tool for lung cancer, sarcoidosis, and suspected metastatic extra-thoracic malignancy (ETM). Patients with primary ETM often have hypermetabolic mediastinal/hilar lymph node enlargement in the PET-scan done for initial staging or post treatment follow-up. We aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of EBUS-TBNA and the relationship between PET-SUV values and diagnosis of malignancy metastasis in patients with ETM. Materials and Methods: Results of EBUS-TBNA in ETM patients with suspected MLN metastasis were retrospectively analysed (May 2016 to July 2019). Non-malign results were confirmed for surgery or clinical/radiological follow-up. Lymph nodes with a high FDG-uptake (SUV > 2.5, MLN) were reported as suspicious for metastasis. Results: Of the 588 EBUS procedures, 109 were included in the analysis. Patient' mean age was 62.5 +/- 10.1 years; there were 35 men and 74 women. Primary malignancies were breast cancer in 33, gastrointestinal in 23, female genital tract in 17, head and neck in 14, genitourinary cancer in 13, malignant melanoma in 6, sarcoma in 2 and kaposi sarcoma in 1. According to EBUS-TBNA smear and cell block histopathologic evaluations, 16 patients' results (14.7%) were malignant compatible with metastasis of ETM. Among the 93 patients with non-malignant diagnosis, EBUS-TBNA revealed a granulomatous lympadenitis compatible with sarcoid reaction in 7 and tuberculosis in 2. A total of 9 patients underwent surgical procedures after EBUS-TBNA, with a definitive histological diagnosis of granulomatous lymphadenitis in 2, malignancy in 5 and, reactive lymph node in 2. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA were 76.19% (95% CI 52.83-91.78), 100% (95% CI 95.89-100.00), 100%, 94.62% (95% CI 89.12-97.12) and 95.4%, respectively. Conclusion: EBUS-TBNA sampling has high diagnostic performance. Histopathological confirmation requirement for MLN should be kept in mind in patients with ETM, even they have negative EBUS results. Giriş: Endobronşial ultrason-kılavuzluğunda transbronşial iğne aspirasyonu (EBUS-TBİA), akciğer kanseri, sarkoidoz ve metastatik ekstra-torasik malignitelerde (ETM) iyi tanımlanmış bir tanı yöntemidir. Primer ETM evrelemesi ve tedavi sonrası takipte, mediastinal/ hiler lenf nodu (MLN) genişlemesi sık görülmektedir. ETM tanısı olan hastalarda EBUS-TBİA tanı performansı, PET-SUV değerleri ile malign metastaz tanısı arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmayı hedefledik. Materyal ve Metod: Şüpheli malign metastaz olan ETM hastalarında yapılan EBUS-TBİA sonuçları retrospektif olarak analiz edildi (Mayıs 2016-Temmuz 2019). Malign olmayan sonuçlar cerrahi veya klinik/radyolojik takip ile konfirme edildi. Yüksek FDG-uptake olan (SUV > 2.5, MLN) lenf nodları metastaz şüpheli olarak raporlandı. Bulgular: Toplam 588 EBUS işleminden 109'u analize dahil edildi. Hastaların ortalama yaşı 62.5 ± 10.1; 35'i erkek, 74'ü kadın idi. Primer malignitelerin, 33’ü meme kanseri, 23'ü gastrointestinal, 17'si kadın genital sistem, 14'ü baş-boyun, 13’ü genitoüriner kanser, 6'sı malign melanom, 2'si sarkom ve 1'i kaposi sarkomu idi. EBUS-TBİA yayma ve hücre bloğu histopatolojik sonuçlarına göre 16 hastada (%14.7) ETM metastazı ile uyumlu malignite saptandı. Malign olmayan 93 hastadan 7'sinde sarkoid reaksiyon ile uyumlu granülomatöz lenfadenit, 2'sinde tüberküloz, 5'inde malignite bulundu. EBUS-TBİA sonrası cerrahi ile toplam 9 hastanın 2'sinde granülomatöz lenfadenit, 5'inde malignite ve 2’sinde reaktif lenf nodu saptandı. EBUS-TBİA için toplam duyarlılık, özgüllük, pozitif prediktif değer, negatif prediktif değer ve tanı doğruluğu, sırasıyla %76.19 (%95 GA 52.83-91.78), %100 (%95 GA 95.89-100.00), %100, %94.62 (%95 GA 89.12-97.12) ve %95.4 olarak saptandı. Sonuç: EBUS-TBİA örneklemesi tanı performansı yüksek bir yöntemdir. Negatif EBUS sonuçları olsa da, MLN genişlemesi olan ETM tanılı olgularda histopatolojik doğrulama gerekliliği akılda tutulmalıdır.

The aim of study – to determine the significance of the BRAF V600E mutation presence in the cytomorphological diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Materials and methods. The study included 65 patients requiring surgical treatment for thyroid nodular pathology. Material to determine the BRAF V600E mutation was taken by means of a fine needle aspiration biopsy before surgery. The BRAF V600E mutation was detected by real-time PCR analysis. Results. A pathomorphological study of the removed thyroid nodules showed that all 22 benign nodules were BRAF-negative. Among the 43 papillary thyroid cancer only 20 were BRAF-positive (46.5 %). BRAF mutations were found more often (P < 0.001) in patients with classical and oxyphilic cell papillary thyroid cancer (60 % and 100 %, respectively) than in patients with follicular variant of PTC (6.7 %). Locally invasive tumors were more often BRAF-negative cases (P < 0.05) than non-invasive tumors and amounted to 75.0 % and 37.5 %, respectively. But, when comparing the morphological variant and invasive properties of the tumor, it was found that all cases of the follicular variant of the PC had signs of invasion and were significantly more often observed (P < 0.01) compared with the classical and oxyphilic cell variants. The BRAF V600E mutation was observed both in tumors with metastasis to the regional lymph nodes (55.0 %) and in tumors without metastases (37.5 %), with no significant difference. Conclusions. The presence of the BRAF V600E mutation is a diagnostic marker for papillary thyroid carcinoma, and its detection confirms the presence of malignancy. BRAF positive carcinomas were in 46.5 % of cases. The combination of BRAF-negative and the cytology of groups V and VI by Bethesda may indicate about a follicular variant of PTC. An increase in the number of molecular genetic markers in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer can significantly improve the quality of diagnosis and surgical treatment.

An accurate preoperative diagnosis of parotid tumors is essential for selection and planning of the surgical treatment. Various modern cross-sectional imaging and cytologic investigations can support differential diagnosis of parotid tumors. The aim of this study was to achieve a comprehensive and updated review of modern imaging and cytologic investigations used in parotid tumor diagnosis, based on the latest literature data. This literature review could serve as a guide for clinicians in selecting different types of investigations for preoperative differential diagnosis of parotid tumors. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with its dynamic and advanced sequences is the first-line imaging investigation used in differentiating parotid tumors. Computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT provide limited indications in differentiating parotid tumors. Fine needle aspiration biopsy and core needle biopsy can contribute with satisfactory results to cytological diagnosis of parotid tumors. Dynamic MRI with its dynamic contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted sequences provides the best accuracy for preoperative differential diagnosis of parotid tumors. CT allows the best evaluation of bone invasion, being useful when MRI cannot be performed, and PET-CT has value in the follow-up of cancer patients. The dual cytological and imaging approach is the safest method for an accurate differential diagnosis of parotid tumors.

Summary In most developed countries, breast carcinoma is the most common malignancy in women and while thyroid cancer is less common, its incidence is almost three to five times greater in women than in men. Since 1966, studies have demonstrated an association between thyroid and breast cancer and despite these studies, the mechanism/s by which they are related, remains unclear. We present a case of a 56-year-old lady who initially presented in 2014 with a screen detected left breast carcinoma but was subsequently found to have occult metastatic thyroid cancer to the axilla, diagnosed from a sentinel node biopsy from the primary breast procedure. The patient underwent a left mastectomy, left axillary dissection and total thyroidectomy followed by three courses of radioactive iodine ablation. Despite this, her thyroglobulin level continued to increase, which was secondary to a metastatic thyroid cancer parasternal metastasis. Breast and thyroid cancer presents metachronously or synchronously more often than by chance. With improving mortality in primary cancers, such as breast and differentiated thyroid cancer, it is likely that as clinicians, we will continue to encounter this association in practice. Learning points: There has been a long-standing observation of an association between breast and thyroid cancer although the exact mechanism of this association remains unclear. Our patient presented with thyroid cancer with an incidental diagnosis from a sentinel node biopsy during her primary breast operation for breast cancer and was also found to have a parasternal distant bony metastasis. Thyroid axillary metastases are generally rare. The interesting nature in which this patient’s metastatic thyroid carcinoma behaved more like a breast carcinoma highlights a correlation between these two cancers. With improving mortality in these primary cancers, clinicians are likely to encounter this association in clinical practice. Systemic therapy for metastatic breast and thyroid cancers differ and therefore a clear diagnosis of metastasis is crucial.

Summary Isolated, adult-onset central hypothyroidism is very rare, and its diagnosis can be challenging. A 42-year-old patient was referred for evaluation of a 2.8 cm thyroid nodule. She referred symptoms that could be attributed to hypothyroidism and thyroid tests showed low TSH and normal-low levels of free T4. However, evaluation of the remaining pituitary hormones and pituitary MRI were normal, yet a radionuclide scanning revealed that the thyroid nodule was ‘hot’ and the tracer uptake in the remaining thyroid tissue was suppressed. Interpretation of these studies led to a misdiagnosis of subclinical hyperthyroidism and the patient was treated with radioiodine. Soon after treatment, she developed a frank hypothyroidism without appropriate elevation of TSH and the diagnosis of central hypothyroidism was made a posteriori. Long term follow-up revealed a progressive pituitary failure, with subsequent deficiency of ACTH and GH. This case should alert to the possibility of overlooking central hypothyroidism in patients simultaneously bearing primary thyroid diseases able to cause subclinical hyperthyroidism. Learning points: Although rarely, acquired central hypothyroidism can occur in the absence of other pituitary hormone deficiencies. In these cases, diagnosis is challenging, as symptoms are unspecific and usually mild, and laboratory findings are variable, including low, normal or even slightly elevated TSH levels, along with low or low-normal concentrations of free T4. In cases with low TSH levels, the coexistence of otherwise common disorders able to cause primary thyroid hyperfunction, such as autonomous nodular disease, may lead to a misdiagnosis of subclinical hyperthyroidism.

Summary A 54-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a cervical tumor. CT revealed a cervical tumor extending to the upper mediastinum, tracheal deviation and tumor infiltration in the cervical vessels. She was followed-up because no diagnosis of malignancy was made by cytology. However, 2 months later, a CT scan showed enlargement of the tumor and tracheal stenosis, and a surgical biopsy was performed and she was diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). The tracheal tube with tracheal stenosis could not be removed due to the rapid growth of the tumor, necessitating management by mechanical ventilation. Due to the difficulty of surgical resection, she was treated with lenvatinib. A lenvatinib solution was made and administered via a nasogastric tube. After lenvatinib treatment, the tumor volume decreased and the tracheal stenosis improved. The tracheal tube was removed and oral intake became possible. She was discharged and received ambulatory lenvatinib therapy. The tumor was significantly reduced in size, but gradually grew and was exposed through the cervical wound 6 months later. Esophageal perforation occurred 10 months after the start of treatment. Lenvatinib was re-administered via a nasogastric tube. Eleven months later, the patient died of massive bleeding from the exposed cervical tumor. Patients with advanced ATC may require management with mechanical ventilation for airway stenosis or with a nasogastric tube for esophageal stenosis and perforation. We experienced a case in which lenvatinib was safely administered via a nasogastric tube while performing mechanical ventilation. Learning points: An anaplastic thyroid cancer patient under mechanical ventilator management was treated with lenvatinib via a nasogastric tube. The lenvatinib solution can easily be prepared and administered via a nasogastric tube. The lenvatinib solution was effective for a patient with difficulty in oral intake. Lenvatinib could also improve the prognosis of an anaplastic thyroid cancer patient with severe airway and esophageal trouble.

Summary We report a rare case of concurrent medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with intermixed disease in several of the lymph node (LN) metastases in a patient who was subsequently diagnosed with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). A 56 year old female presented with dysphagia and was found to have a left thyroid nodule and left superior cervical LN with suspicious sonographic features. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) demonstrated PTC in the left thyroid nodule and MTC in the left cervical LN. Histopathology demonstrated multifocal PTC with 3/21 LNs positive for metastatic PTC. One LN in the left lateral neck dissection exhibited features of both MTC and PTC within the same node. In the right lobe, a 0.3 cm focus of MTC with extra-thyroidal extension was noted. Given persistent calcitonin elevation, a follow-up ultrasound displayed an abnormal left level 4 LN. FNAB showed features of both PTC and MTC on the cytopathology itself. The patient underwent repeat central and left radical neck dissection with 3/6 LNs positive for PTC in the central neck and 2/6 LNs positive for intermixed PTC and MTC in the left neck. There was no evidence of distant metastases on computed tomography and whole body scintigraphy, however a 1.9 x 2.5 cm enhancing mass within the right inter-polar kidney was discovered. This lesion was highly suspicious for RCC. Surgical pathology revealed a 2.5 cm clear cell RCC, Fuhrman grade 2/4, with negative surgical margins. She continues to be observed with stable imaging of her triple malignancies. Learning points: Mixed medullary-papillary thyroid neoplasm is characterized by the presence of morphological and immunohistochemical features of both medullary and papillary thyroid cancers within the same lesion. Simultaneous occurrence of these carcinomas has been previously reported, but a mixed disease within the same lymph node is an infrequent phenomenon. Prognosis of mixed medullary-papillary thyroid carcinomas is determined by the medullary component. Therefore, when PTC and MTC occur concurrently, the priority should be given to the management of MTC, which involves total thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection. Patients with thyroid cancer, predominantly PTC, have shown higher than expected rates of RCC. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the combination of MTC, PTC, and RCC in a single patient.

Summary In this case report, we describe a 37-year-old male who presented with fever and tender neck mass. Neck ultrasonography revealed a mixed echogenic multiloculated solid-cystic lesion containing turbid fluid and occupying the right thyroid region. Thyroid function tests showed subclinical hyperthyroidism. The patient was initially diagnosed with thyroid abscess and he was subsequently treated with percutaneous aspiration and i.v. antibiotics; however, his clinical symptoms did not improve. Surgical treatment was then performed and a pathological examination revealed a ruptured epidermoid cyst with abscess formation. No thyroid tissue was identified in the specimen. The patient was discharged uneventfully. However, at the 3-month and 1-year follow-ups, the patient was discovered to have developed subclinical hypothyroidism. Neck ultrasonography revealed a normal thyroid gland. This report demonstrates a rare case of epidermoid cyst abscess in the cervical region, of which initial imaging and abnormal thyroid function tests led to the erroneous diagnosis of thyroid abscess. Learning points: Epidermoid cyst abscess at the cervical region can mimic thyroid abscess. Neck ultrasonography cannot distinguish thyroid abscess from epidermoid cyst abscess. Thyroid function may be altered due to the adjacent soft tissue inflammation.

Ultrasound (US) based classification systems exist for the stratification of thyroid nodules based on the risk for malignancy. This systematic review aimed to assess the evidence for the performance of US-based thyroid nodule classification systems through correlation with fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). PubMed and Scopus were searched using keywords that included 'ultrasound classification', 'thyroid nodules', 'fine needle aspiration', and 'malignancy'. Inclusion criteria were as follows: studies/reviews reporting on US imaging for the classification of thyroid nodules. Exclusion criteria were as follows: no comparison between US imaging findings and histology reports based on FNAB, no full English text available/accessible. The database searches identified 66 publications. After evaluation, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Two US-based classification systems for thyroid nodules were assessed: the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) and the American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines. For TIRADS, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) ranged from 70.6% to 97.4%, 29.3% to 90.4%, 23.3% to 64.3%, and 87.1% to 99.0%, respectively. The median sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for TIRADS was 90.0%, 57.4%, 49.0%, and 91.0%, respectively. One study comparing TIRADS with the ATA guidelines demonstrated that TIRADS was superior in terms of sensitivity, whereas the ATA guidelines were superior in terms of specificity and PPV. The high sensitivity and NPV of the US-based TIRADS classification system have excellent utility for correctly classifying nodules as positive for malignant disease and for predicting the absence of malignant disease. The paucity of studies assessing the ATA guidelines highlights avenues for further research comparing TIRADS with other systems of thyroid nodule classification.

Summary Papillary thyroid gland carcinoma is the most common type of malignancy of the endocrine system. Metastases to the pituitary gland have been described as a complication of papillary thyroid cancer in few reported cases since 1965. We report the case of a 68-year-old female patient with a well-differentiated form of thyroid gland cancer. Despite it being the most common malignant cancer of the endocrine system, with its papillary form being one of the two most frequently diagnosed thyroid cancers, the case we present is extremely rare. Sudden cardiac arrest during ventricular fibrillation occurred during hospitalization. Autopsy of the patient revealed papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, follicular variant, with metastasis to the sella turcica, and concomitant sarcoidosis of heart, lung, and mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Not only does atypical metastasis make our patient’s case most remarkable, but also the postmortem diagnosis of sarcoidosis makes her case particularly unusual. Learning points: The goal of presenting this case is to raise awareness of the clinical heterogeneity of papillary cancer and promote early diagnosis of unexpected metastasis and coexisting diseases to improve clinical outcomes. Clinicians must be skeptical. They should not fall into the trap of diagnostic momentum or accept diagnostic labels at face value. Regardless of the potential mechanisms, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of the coexistence of thyroid cancer and sarcoidosis as a differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy. This case highlights the importance of the diagnostic and therapeutic planning process and raises awareness of the fact that one uncommon disease could be masked by another extremely rare disorder.

Background: Thyroid ultrasound (US), fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), and molecular testing have been widely used to stratify the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules. The goal of this study was to investigate a novel diagnostic approach for cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN) based upon a combination of US features and genetic alterations.Methods: We performed a pilot cohort study of patients with ITN (Bethesda III/IV), who underwent surgical treatment. Based on standardized sonographic patterns established by the American Thyroid Association (ATA), each ITN received an US score (XUS), ranging between 0 and 0.9 according to its risk of thyroid cancer (TC). DNA and RNA were extracted from pathologic material, available for all patients, and subjected to Oncomine™ Comprehensive Assay v2 (OCAv2) next-generation sequencing. Each genetic alteration was annotated based on its strength of association with TC and its sum served as the genomic classifier score (XGC). The total risk score (TRS) was the sum of XUS and XGC. ROC curves were generated to assess the diagnostic accuracy of XUS, XGC, and TRS.Results: The study cohort consisted of 50 patients (39 females and 11 males), aged 47.5 ± 14.8 years. Three patients were excluded due to molecular testing failure. Among the remaining 47 patients, 28 (59.6%) were diagnosed with TC. BRAFV600E was the most common mutation in papillary TC, PAX8-PPARG fusion was present in NIFTP, pathogenic variants of SLX4, ATM, and NRAS were found in Hürthle cell TC and RET mutations in medullary TC. The diagnostic accuracy of XGC and TRS was significantly higher compared with XUS (88 vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001; 85.2 vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001, respectively). However, this increased accuracy was due to significantly better sensitivity (80.7 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001; 84.6 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001, respectively) without improved specificity (94.7 vs. 90%, p = 0.55; 85.7 vs. 90%, p = 0.63, respectively).Conclusion: Molecular testing might not be necessary in ITN with high-risk US pattern (XUS = 0.9), as specificity of TC diagnosis based on Xus alone is sufficient and not improved with molecular testing. OCAv2 is useful in guiding the management of ITN with low-to-intermediate risk US features (XUS < 0.9), as it increases the accuracy of TC diagnosis.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytopathology (FNAC) of lymph nodes is a very common, inexpensive, and rapid diagnostic procedure and can lead to the accurate and timely diagnosis of one of the wide range of pathological processes that involve lymph nodes. These diagnoses include specific reactive processes, specific infections such as tuberculosis, metastatic carcinomas and melanomas, and some lymphomas. The FNAC effectively triages the lymph node material, but the initial diagnosis often requires ancillary testing as a second diagnostic step to make a specific diagnosis, such as the particular infectious agent, the type of lymphoma or Hodgkin lymphoma, or the specific type of metastatic malignancy. An international group of cytopathologists have begun the process of developing a system for the standardized reporting of lymph node FNAC. The group is addressing the pre-analytical issues related to the FNAC, including the role of clinical information and the use of ultrasound, and developing a structure of reporting categories based on the cytopathological findings linked to management recommendations. The basis of the system is the integration of the FNAC with the clinical setting, imaging, and ancillary tests that utilize the FNAC material, to produce a final report that will enhance patient care.

Tuberculosis remains a worldwide public health problem. Cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBL) or scrofula is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, affecting the cervical lymph nodes. We report the case of a 93-year-old woman presenting with cervical adenopathies with 3 months duration. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy yielded a noncaseous granulomatous process, but was negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT). As the adenopathies had grown, an excisional biopsy was performed. An extensive study of infectious aetiologies was performed, including for MT, with a negative outcome. Owing to the persistence of cervical lymphadenitis with caseous granulomas, a diagnosis of TBL was strongly suspected and presumptive treatment was initiated. Afterwards, diagnostic confirmation was obtained by isolation of MT in the lymph node culture. The patient presented a favourable clinical outcome. This case highlights that a high index of suspicion is essential for the diagnosis of TBL, especially in the elderly, and emphasizes the importance of pursuing diagnostic confirmation, in which FNA and excisional biopsy plays a key role. LEARNING POINTS The diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis should be considered in all patients presenting with cervical adenopathies, especially in endemic areas, irrespective of the patient’s age. A high index of suspicion is essential for the diagnosis due to the wide range of conditions that can mimic the disease. Fine needle aspiration biopsy is appropriate as an initial diagnostic approach, with excisional biopsy recommended when the former is not diagnostic.

Aim. To analyze modern literature dealing with the issues of finding highly informative modern methods of early diagnostics of malignant tumors of thyroid.Materials and methods. The study of recent Russian and foreign literature in the databases RSCI, Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed has been carried out.Results.This article represents statistical information on the prevalence of this disease, age and gender peculiarities, modern international cytological classification of thyroid – Thyroid Bethesda Classification. The article shows diagnostic values of ultrasound, elastography, dopplerography, as well as fine needle aspiration biopsy with the subsequent cytological, immunocytochemical study, and molecular-genetic research. The advantages and disadvantages of existing methods of diagnostics of cancer of thyroid have been analyzed. High sensitivity and specificity of molecular genetic studies, which increases with application of diagnostic panels has been observed.Conclusion. Modern science has many methods for early diagnosis of malignant forms of thyroid disease, but none of them meets the modern requirements of practical health care. It justifies the importance of further search for sensitive, specific and available diagnostic methods of thyroid cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to carry the lowest survival rates among all solid tumors. A marked resistance against available therapies, late clinical presentation and insufficient means for early diagnosis contribute to the dismal prognosis. Novel biomarkers are thus required to aid treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes. We describe here a multi-omics molecular platform that allows for the first time to simultaneously analyze miRNA and mRNA expression patterns from minimal amounts of biopsy material on a single microfluidic TaqMan Array card. Expression profiles were generated from 113 prospectively collected fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) from patients undergoing surgery for suspect masses in the pancreas. Molecular classifiers were constructed using support vector machines, and rigorously evaluated for diagnostic performance using 10×10fold cross validation. The final combined miRNA/mRNA classifier demonstrated a sensitivity of 91.7%, a specificity of 94.5%, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 93.0% for the differentiation between PDAC and benign pancreatic masses, clearly outperfoming miRNA-only classifiers. The classification algorithm also performed very well in the diagnosis of other types of solid tumors (acinar cell carcinomas, ampullary cancer and distal bile duct carcinomas), but was less suited for the diagnostic analysis of cystic lesions. We thus demonstrate that simultaneous analysis of miRNA and mRNA biomarkers from FNAB samples using multi-omics TaqMan Array cards is suitable to differentiate suspect solid pancreatic masses with high precision.

Key Clinical Message Acute suppurative thyroiditis is a serious disease; therefore, its diagnosis in the acute phase is important. Fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis of acute suppurative thyroiditis. Appropriate culture technique and optimal imaging modalities are also important for its diagnosis.

Background. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is recognized as the “gold standard” in the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer. However, this method does not always allow reliable differentiation between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Thus, the cytological report of a “follicular neoplasm or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm” suggests surgical lobectomy. However, in most cases, this conclusion does not point to follicular cancer but to benign neoplasm, follicular adenoma, where the surgical intervention is excessive. This implies the great relevance of finding biological markers capable of enhancing the specificity of detecting malignant neoplasms. Such markers may include an increase in the level of expression of oncogenes or a change in the expression of microRNA, since it is known that the content of a number of microRNAs changes significantly during the development of thyroid tumors. Materials and methods. The expression level of the HMGA2 gene, normally active at the embryonic stage, and oncogenic miRNA-221 microRNA was analyzed using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 713 cytological preparations of the thyroid gland (stained material dried on glasses) obtained by standard fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The sample included preparations corresponding to different cytological diagnoses: benign (n = 375), follicular neoplasm or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (n = 143), medullary carcinoma (n = 7), papillary carcinoma (n = 186) and anaplastic carcinoma (n = 2). Results. The content of messenger RNA (mRNA) HMGA2 (P = 1.6 × 10–66, area under curve ROC 0.946) and miR-221 (P = 6.3 × 10 –61 , area under curve ROC 0.927) proved to be significantly elevated in papillary carcinoma compared to benign tumors. Follicular neoplasms showed significant heterogeneity in the quantity of both molecular markers. At the same time, an elevated level of miR-221 (3 times on average) was also characteristic of samples from this group with an increased level of expression of the HMGA2 gene (an average of 85 times). With regard to the quantity of these markers, the group of follicular neoplasms, in which no increase in the HMGA2 mRNA level was detected, did not differ from the group of benign nodules. Conclusions. The obtained results show that assessing the expression of HMGA2 mRNA and oncogenic miR-221 makes it possible to differentiate the papillary thyroid carcinoma from goiter at the preoperative stage, and based on the content of the HMGA2 mRNA, the group of follicular neoplasms can be divided into subgroups presumably differing in the risk of malignancy.

There are rare benign diseases that can mimic malignant breast neoplasms in the clinical exam and in mammography. We evaluated the contribution of an accessible procedure to most clinicians, the fine-needle aspiration cytology, to identify a rare mimicker of malignant breast neoplasms. A type 2 diabetic 85-year-old female presented with a 6-month history of a left breast lump. The physical exam and mammography were compatible with breast cancer. Nevertheless, after fine-needle aspiration cytology, the diagnosis was plasma cell mastitis. Once this rare diagnosis was established, the tumor was extirpated, and the final histologic diagnosis corroborated chronic plasma cell mastitis. The patient's postoperative evolution was uneventful, and no other treatment was needed. Fine-needle aspiration cytology could be a valuable tool to identify rare mimickers of malignant breast neoplasms.Existem doenças benignas raras que podem mimetizar neoplasias malignas de mama no exame clínico e na mamografia. Avaliamos o valor de um procedimento acessível para a maioria dos clínicos, a citologia por aspiração com agulha fina, para identificar um imitador raro de neoplasias malignas de mama. Uma mulher de 85 anos com diabetes tipo 2 apresentou histórico de 6 meses de um nódulo no seio esquerdo. O exame físico e a mamografia foram compatíveis com câncer de mama. No entanto, após realizar uma citologia por aspiração com agulha fina, o diagnóstico foi mastite celular plasmática. Uma vez que este diagnóstico raro foi estabelecido, o tumor foi extraído e o diagnóstico histológico final corroborou a mastite crônica das células plasmáticas. A paciente teve uma boa evolução pós-operatória, e nenhum outro tratamento foi necessário. A citologia por aspiração com agulha fina pode ser uma ferramenta valiosa para identificar os raros mimetizadores de neoplasias malignas da mama.

Summary Adrenococortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer, occurring at the rate of one case in two million person years. Cushing syndrome or a mixed picture of excess androgen and glucocorticoid production are the most common presentations of ACC. Other uncommon presentations include abdominal pain and adrenal incidentalomas. In the present report, a 71-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and was eventually diagnosed with ACC. He was found to have pulmonary thromboembolism following an investigation for hypoxemia, with the tumor thrombus extending upto the right atrium. This interesting case represents the unique presentation of a rare tumor, which if detected late or left untreated is associated with poor outcomes, highlighting the need for a low index of suspicion for ACC when similar presentations are encountered in clinical practice. Learning points: ACC is a rare but aggressive tumor. ACC commonly presents with rapid onset of hypercortisolism, combined hyperandrogenism and hypercortisolism, or uncommonly with compressive symptoms. Clinicians should have a low index of suspicion for ACC in patients presenting with rapid onset of symptoms related to hypercortisolism and/or hyperandrogenism. Venous thromboembolism and extension of the tumor thrombus to the right side of the heart is a very rare but serious complication of ACC that clinicans should be wary of. The increased risk of venous thromboembolism in ACC could be explained by direct tumor invasion, tumor thrombi or hypercoagulability secondary to hypercortisolism. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can improve the long-term survival of patients with ACC.

Summary A 74-year-old man was referred to the Endocrinology Unit because of multinodular goiter. The dominant nodule (1.7 × 1.9 × 2.4 cm), at the medium-superior third of the left lobe, was inhomogeneously hypoechoic, with irregular margins, macrocalcifications and intranodular vascularization. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed. The cytological diagnosis was TIR 2, benign, according to the 2013 Italian thyroid cytology classification system. Moderately high serum calcitonin (s-Ct) (61.5 pg/mL, n.r. 0–7.5) and normal CEA were detected. The Ct level in FNAB wash-out fluid (Ct-FNAB) was 1450 pg/mL. Based on s-Ct and Ct-FNAB levels, patient underwent total thyroidectomy. Macroscopically, a dominant circumscribed nodule of 2 ecm was described; the histological and immunohistochemical features identified medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) with paraganglioma (PG)-like pattern positive for Ct, CEA and chromogranin and negative for S-100 sustentacular cells (SC). Moreover, papillary carcinoma of 3 mm in the right lobe was also associated. No areas of hyperaccumulation of the tracer were documented at Ga68 PET/CT. No RET-proto-oncogene mutations were found. Post-surgery s-Ct levels were within normal range (4 pg/mL). Two years after thyroidectomy, the patient is still disease-free. We reported a case of sporadic and rare variant of MTC: this is the ninth described case of PG-like MTC. In this case, cytologically benign, the clinical suspicion arose from high Ct values at FNAB wash-out fluid. Even if clinical behavior of this variant seems indolent, additional studies are necessary to understand prognoses and predictive factors. Learning points: Several unusual histological variants of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) have been described such as spindle cell, giant cell, clear cell, melanotic, squamous, angiosarcoma-like variants; even rarer is the paraganglioma (PG)-like pattern. We here describe a case of medullary PG-like thyroid carcinoma in a 74-year-old man. This is a rare histological variant of MTC hardly diagnosed by cytology, since immunohistochemical investigations are necessary. Measurement of calcitonin both in serum and in wash-out fluid from fine-needle aspiration could be an additional tool for an early and non-invasive identification of these variants.

Objective The purpose of the study is to quantitatively assess shear-wave elastography (SWE) value in American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (ACR TI-RADS) 4. Materials and methods One hundred and fifty-two ACR TI-RADS 4 thyroid nodules undergoing SWE were included in the study. The mean (EMean), minimum (EMin) and maximum (EMax) of SWE elasticity were measured. Results The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for SWE EMean, EMin and EMax in detecting benign and malignant nodules were 0.95, 0.83 and 0.84, respectively. Cut-off value of EMean ≤ 23.30 kPa is able to downgrade the lesion category to ACR TI-RADS 3 and cut-off value of EMean ≥ 52.14 kPa is able to upgrade the lesion category to ACR TI-RADS 5. Conclusions The EMean of SWE will probably identify nodules that have a high potential for benignity in ACR TI-RADS 4. It may help identify and select benign nodules while reducing unnecessary biopsy of benign thyroid nodules.

Objective The incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) is known to be very high in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. We performed a pilot survey study examining Toronto-area family physician (FP) perspectives on thyroid neoplasm evaluation (i.e. thyroid nodules [TNs] or thyroid cancer [TC]) in this region, to explore for potential factors leading to overdiagnosis. Methods We performed a cross-sectional mail-out written survey of a random sample of 300 FPs in active practice in the Greater Toronto Area (Markham and Brampton). Results The overall response rate was 22.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 18.0, 27.4% (67/300); the effective response rate was 19.9, 95% CI 15.7, 24.9% (58/291), after excluding 6 FPs that reported TN evaluation was outside their scope of practice and three FPs with an invalid mailing address. There were no missing responses to questions. The demographic characteristics were as follows: 58.6% (34/58) from Markham, 55.2% (32/58) were female, 58.6% (34/58) were in practice > 10 years, and 32.8% (19/58) affiliated with a University. All FPs reported easy access to thyroid ultrasound (TUS). About half of FPs were concerned about overdiagnosis of TC and most did not believe that there was any TC survival advantage with routine screening TUS. Although appropriate indications for TUS were endorsed by most respondents (e.g. palpable TN, incidental TN on other imaging), inappropriate recommendations were observed in a third of FPs (19/57) who recommended TUS for abnormal thyroid blood tests about half of FPs (30/56) who endorsed biopsy of sub-centimeter nodules. About half of FPs (31/58) reported that their patients sometimes request medically unnecessary TUS. Conclusion There are likely multiple complex factors leading to potential overdiagnosis of TC in primary care, including some physicians’ knowledge gaps about appropriate indications for TN investigations as well as patients’ requests and expectations.

Intraocular tumor diagnosis is based on clinical findings supported by additional imaging tools, such as ultrasound, optical coherence tomography and angiographic techniques, usually without the need for invasive procedures or tissue sampling. Despite improvements in the local treatment of uveal melanoma (UM), the prevention and treatment of the metastatic disease remain unsolved, and nearly 50% of patients develop liver metastasis. The current model suggests that tumor cells have already spread by the time of diagnosis, remaining dormant until there are favorable conditions. Tumor sampling procedures at the time of primary tumor diagnosis/treatment are therefore now commonly performed, usually not to confirm the diagnosis of UM, but to obtain a tissue sample for prognostication, to assess patient’s specific metastatic risk. Moreover, several studies are ongoing to identify genes specific to UM tumorigenesis, leading to several potential targeted therapeutic strategies. Genetic information can also influence the surveillance timing and metastatic screening type of patients affected by UM. In spite of the widespread use of biopsies in general surgical practice, in ophthalmic oncology the indications and contraindications for tumor biopsy continue to be under debate. The purpose of this review paper is to critically evaluate the role of uveal melanoma biopsy in ophthalmic oncology.

Dariusz Janczak,1,2 Wiktor Pawlowski,1 Tadeusz Dorobisz,1,3 Dawid Janczak,4 Karolina Dorobisz,5 Michal Lesniak,1 Agnieszka Ziomek,1 Mariusz Chabowski1,2 1Department of Surgery, 4th Military Teaching Hospital, 2Department of Clinical Nursing, Division of Nursing in Surgical Procedures, 3Department of Clinical Basics of Physiotherapy, 4Department of Palliative Care Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, 5Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) comprises 1% of all carcinomas and is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system. The disease is more common in women, with its peak morbidity observed in 40–50-year-old patients. The main risk factors include radiation, iodine deficiency, hereditary background, and genetic mutations. Among all diagnosed thyroid nodules, 5%–30% will evolve into cancer. The gold-standard procedure in the preoperative evaluation of a nodular goiter, apart from ultrasonography, is fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. The FNA biopsy is favored for its simplicity, safety, and high specificity and sensitivity rates. Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of FNA based on the patients’ register. Materials and methods: In the Department of Surgery at the 4th Military Teaching Hospital in Wroclaw, 2,133 patients underwent thyroid surgery for thyroid goiter between 1996 and 2015. One hundred and eight cases of TC were diagnosed and of these, 66 patients had a preoperative FNA. Results: Fourteen FNA biopsies (21%) revealed cancer, all of which were confirmed in the postoperative histopathology, although six cases of FNA-diagnosed cancer revealed a different histological type postoperatively. Eighteen FNA biopsies (27%) were suspected of being malignant. A disturbingly high rate of “benign” FNA biopsies (32 cases; 48%) revealed TC after surgery. Conclusion: It is of great importance that the quality and quantity of FNA biopsies that are performed have been improved, especially due to the wide adoption of the Bethesda cytological evaluation system. FNA biopsy remains an obligatory and valuable diagnostic tool in thyroid nodules, but it is still insufficient as a standard procedure. A preoperative biopsy should always be related to all the available clinical data in order to provide the best treatment option for each patient individually. Keywords: thyroid cancer, fine needle aspiration biopsy, goiter, The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC)

Background. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a frequently used method in the diagnosis of masses and it has been employed in pre-operative diagnosis of salivary gland lesions for many years. There are many publications in the literature on diagnostic value of FNA in salivary gland masses. However, studies involving FNA results of multiple lesions of salivary glands are rare. Objective. The purpose of present study is to determine the diagnostic value of FNAB in the bilateral, especially in the diffuse, swellings of the parotid gland and detection of pitfalls and their consequences. Methods. A total of 19 cases of bilateral swelling of parotid gland were included in this study. Demographic and clinical features of patients, results of FNAB and postoperative histopathological examination in some cases were analyzed retrospectively. Results. Eleven (57,89%) of patients were female, 8 (42,11%) were male. The age range of patients was 33-74 and mean age was 49,05. Benign non-neoplastic disease in 15 (78,95%), and benign neoplastic disease in 4 (21,05) of 19 cases were detected with FNAB. Conclusion. FNAB is the accessible, inexpensive and reliable method in the diagnosis and selection of the treatment tactics of the bilateral parotid swellings. Biopsies from both sides separately are advisable to prevent diagnostic errors in the bilateral parotid swellings, especially in the cases of Warthin tumour. Citation: Musayev JS, Hasanov AB, Karimova II. [The diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration biopsy in bilateral swellings of the parotid]. Morphologia. 2016;10(1):49-53. Russian.

Background: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is an uncommon benign chronic inflammatory breast disease, and erythema nodosum (EN) is an extremely rare systemic manifestation of IGM. Here, we report a rare case of IGM accompanied by EN. Case Report: A 32-year-old patient was admitted to our clinic with a history of a tender mass in the right breast. On physical examination, the right breast contained a hard, tender mass in the lower half with in-drawing of the nipple. She had florid EN affecting both legs. She was evaluated with mammography, ultrasound, power Doppler ultrasound, non-enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and excisional biopsy. Time-intensity curves showed a type II pattern on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, which has an intermediate probability for malignancy. The FNAB reported a benign cytology suggestive of a granulomatous inflammation, which was also supported by the histopathological findings. A partial mastectomy was performed following medical treatment. There was no recurrence at 1-year follow-up. Conclusion: IGM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of EN. Although histopathological examination remains the only method for the definite diagnosis of IGM, MRI can be helpful in the diagnosis or differentiation of benign lesions from malignant ones.

Relevance. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Tumor biopsy, a key diagnostic approach, is required to evaluate the nature of tumor and to determine the therapeutic strategy. In clinical practice methods are being applied: trepan-biopsy and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). The latter is less traumatic however is used less often because it provides with less information. Moreover, dependence from quality of biopsy and qualification of morphologist are attributes of both techniques. A possibility to use biopsy material for farther analysis of tumor-markers would open a perspective to obtain more information and to improve objectivity of traditional diagnostic approaches, including FNAB. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), regulatory molecules involved in control of virtually all physiologic and pathologic process, emerged as promising tumor markers. Malignant transformation of mammary gland epithelia is associated with specific alterations of cellular miRNAs profile. Analysis of these alterations is of great diagnostic potency. Objective. Development of method for miRNAs analysis in cytological smears material and evaluation of its practical applicability. Material and methods. Archived cytological material (smears on the glass slides) from patients with benign tumor and breast cancer was used. Analysis of miRNAs expression was performed by reverse transcription followed by quantitative PCR. Results of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were analyzed with use of relevant cytological and morphological data. Results. Method of miRNAs analysis in material of cytological smears was developed. Expression of 9 miRNAs in 80 samples was evaluated. Statistically significant expression difference between benign and malignant tumor samples was found for 5 miRNAs: miR-21, miR-205, miR-125b, miR-200a, miR-221. MiR-125b exhibited most prominent expression dysregulation: malignant transformation of mammary epithelium is associated with 500 fold decrease of miR-125b expression level. Expression alterations of several miRNAs were revealed to correlate with clinically relevant characteristics of tumors. Conclusions. Results of our study indicated the possibility of miRNAs expression analysis in the FNAB material and the applicability of this method as additive approach to the convention cytological examination. Application of this method will allow to specify diagnosis and to optimize choice of the therapeutic strategy.

ResumoIntroduçãoA citologia aspirativa de agulha fina (CAAF) tem um papel essencial na avaliação da doença nodular da tiroide. Permite não só reduzir o número de cirurgias desnecessárias em nódulos benignos, como possibilita o planeamento de uma abordagem cirúrgica adequada em doentes com doença maligna. No nosso serviço realizaram‐se 2.124 CAAF no período de 10 anos, sendo que, atualmente, são todas ecoguiadas.ObjetivoAvaliar a acuidade diagnóstica da CAAF num serviço hospitalar.MétodosAvaliaram‐se, retrospetivamente, 204 processos dos doentes submetidos a citologia e, posteriormente, a cirurgia tiroideia, num período de 10 anos (2001‐2010). Com base na correlação cito‐histológica, foi realizada uma análise de sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo positivo e negativo. Resultados com um nível de significância45mm). A CAAF realizada no nosso serviço apresenta uma sensibilidade de 95,9% e uma especificidade de 91,4%. Na amostra estudada, não existiram casos não diagnósticos.ConclusãoA CAAF realizada no nosso serviço tem uma elevada especificidade e sensibilidade, com resultados semelhantes aos publicados na literatura internacional de referência.AbstractIntroductionFine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) plays an essential role in the evaluation of thyroid nodular disease (TND). It reduces the rate of unnecessary thyroid surgery for patients with benign nodules, and allows the choice of the appropriate surgery. In our department, 2124 FNAB were performed in 10 years. Nowadays, they are all ultrasound guided (UGFNAB).ObjectiveTo access the accuracy of FNAB in our hospital.MethodsRetrospective study of 204 patients’ medical files who underwent FNAB and who were submitted to surgery, between 2001 and 2010. Based on cytohistologic correlation, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of FNAB were calculated. A p‐value45mm). The sensitivity was 95.9% and the specificity was 91.4%. There were no unsatisfactory samples.DiscussionThe results show a good accuracy of FNA in our hospital, with a high sensibility and specificity. Our results are similar to the published data.

Objective: To compare fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and excisional biopsy results in the diagnosis of head and neck lymphomas and to evaluate the effectiveness of FNAB.Methods: The medical files of 52 patients diagnosed with lymphoma in our clinic between September 2011 and January 2015 were retrospectively examined. Demographic characteristics, presenting complaints, hematologic parameters, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) results, and excisional biopsy results of the patients were recorded. The patients were divided into 4 groups based on their FNAB cytology results: i) malignant cytology, ii) suspicious for lymphoid neoplasia, iii) mixed lymphoid cell population, and iv) non-diagnostic cytology. FNAB was performed under ultrasound guidance.Results: The average age within our series, which consisted of 37 male and 15 female patients, was 46.37 (range 8–82 years). Neck mass was the presenting symptom in 30 patients (57.6%), while it was detected during examination of other symptoms in 22 patients (42.3%). Fever was not observed in any of the patients, whereas weight loss was present in 12 patients (23%), fatigue in 5 patients (9.6%), and night sweats in 5 patients (9.6%). Following excisional biopsy, Hodgkin lymphoma was diagnosed in 28 patients and non-Hodgkin lymphoma was diagnosed in 24 patients.Conclusion: The utility of FNAB in the diagnosis of lymphoma in the head and neck region is discussed. FNAB may not be sufficient unless immunofluorescence examination is also conducted. FNAB may lead to a considerable delay in establishing a definitive diagnosis. In the case of clinical suspicion, excisional biopsy is recommended without performing FNAB.

Objective Application of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) for thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) is controversial. Therefore, ROSE has not been universally applied. This study aimed to evaluate the value of ROSE for ultrasound-guided thyroid FNA. Methods A total of 997 patients with 1103 suspicious thyroid nodules had ultrasound-guided FNA performed from January 2016 to February 2018. There were 513 nodules with ROSE and 590 nodules without ROSE. The cytological nondiagnostic rate, needle passes, and procedural times of thyroid FNA with or without ROSE were compared. The nondiagnostic rates of subsets of suspicious thyroid nodules were further compared. Results There was no significant effect of ROSE on the nondiagnostic rate of FNA. However, FNA with ROSE significantly reduced the numbers of sub-centimeter, mixed solid-cystic, macrocalcified, and hypervascular nodules. There was a significantly smaller number of needle passes and less procedural times with ROSE than without ROSE. There was no significant difference in the complication rate of FNA with and without ROSE. Conclusion ROSE for thyroid FNA reduces the number of needle passes and procedural times. ROSE has a higher clinical application value in subsets of thyroid nodules, which tend to be difficult to diagnose with FNA.

The efficacy of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) following sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been questioned. The present study was performed to determine the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of axillary ultrasound (US) and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the diagnosis of axillary metastases in patients with early breast cancer. A total of 214 patients with stage I and II breast cancer between June 2015 and January 2017 were included. All of the patients received axillary US as a primary investigation for lymph node status. US-guided FNAB was performed on suspicious lymph nodes. Those with non-suspicious and FNAB-negative axillary nodes proceeded to SLNB at the time of primary breast surgery. ALND was performed when the result of the US-guided FNAB was positive. The results of US and cytology were compared to histopathological results to determine their sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy. A total of 76 out of 214 patients (35.5%) had axillary lymph node metastases at final histology. The sensitivity and specificity of axillary US alone were 59.2% (45/76) and 78.3% (108/138), respectively. Axillary US with FNAB identified 32 patients with positive lymph node metastases, and increased the sensitivity and specificity to 71.1% (32/45) and 100.0% (30/30). Combined with FNAB, the positive and negative predictive values were 100.0% (32/32) and 69.8% (30/43), respectively. Axillary US-alone or combined US/FNAB had a high accuracy rate and a satisfactory result as they cost less and it is easy to assess the status of axillary lymph nodes. Thus, axillary US with FNAB may avoid unnecessary SLNB in a significant number of patients.

Summary Co-existence of craniopharyngioma and acromegaly has been very rarely reported. A 65-year-old man presented with visual deterioration, fatigue and frontal headaches. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a suprasellar heterogeneous, mainly cystic, 1.9 × 2 × 1.9 cm mass compressing the optic chiasm and expanding to the third ventricle; the findings were consistent with a craniopharyngioma. Pituitary hormone profile showed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, mildly elevated prolactin, increased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and normal thyroid function and cortisol reserve. The patient had transsphenoidal surgery and pathology of the specimen was diagnostic of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma. Post-operatively, he had diabetes insipidus, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and adrenocorticotropic hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone deficiency. Despite the hypopituitarism, his IGF-1 levels remained elevated and subsequent oral glucose tolerance test did not show complete growth hormone (GH) suppression. Further review of the pre-operative imaging revealed a 12 × 4 mm pituitary adenoma close to the right carotid artery and no signs of pituitary hyperplasia. At that time, he was also diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the left upper lung lobe finally managed with radical radiotherapy. Treatment with long-acting somatostatin analogue was initiated leading to biochemical control of the acromegaly. Latest imaging has shown no evidence of craniopharyngioma regrowth and stable adenoma. This is a unique case report of co-existence of craniopharyngioma, acromegaly and squamous lung cell carcinoma that highlights diagnostic and management challenges. Potential effects of the GH hypersecretion on the co-existent tumours of this patient are also briefly discussed. Learning points: Although an extremely rare clinical scenario, craniopharyngioma and acromegaly can co-exist; aetiopathogenic link between these two conditions is unlikely. Meticulous review of unexpected biochemical findings is vital for correct diagnosis of dual pituitary pathology. The potential adverse impact of GH excess due to acromegaly in a patient with craniopharyngioma (and other neoplasm) mandates adequate biochemical control of the GH hypersecretion.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine if patient age and/or gender significantly alter the risk of thyroid malignancy in the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC) diagnostic categories. Methods: A retrospective review of 291 sequential patients that underwent thyroid nodule fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and subsequent surgery at a single center was carried out. Cases were grouped according to age (55 years and older versus younger than 55 years) and gender. The cancer risk was calculated for each BSRTC diagnostic group. A p-value

Objective To establish a cost-effective and easily available phantom for training residents in ultrasound-guided fine needle thyroid nodule targeting punctures. Materials and methods Tofu, drinking straws filled with coupling gel, a urine tube, and 21-gauge needles were used to generate a phantom thyroid with nodules for training. Twelve radiology residents were involved in the study. The puncture success rates were recorded and compared before and after phantom training using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results On ultrasonography, tofu mimicked the texture of the thyroid. Drinking straws filled with coupling gel mimicked vessels. The urine tube filled with air mimicked the trachea, and 21-gauge needles mimicked small nodules in the transverse section. The entire phantom was similar to the structure of the thyroid and surrounding tissues. The puncture success rates of radiology residents were significantly increased from 34.4 ± 14.2% to 66.7 ± 19.5% after training (p = 0.003). The phantom was constructed in approximately 10 minutes and materials cost less than CNY 10 (approximately $ 1.5) at a local store. Conclusion The tofu model was cost-effective, easily attainable, and effective for training residents in ultrasound-guided fine needle thyroid nodule targeting punctures in vitro.

SUMMARY: Brucellosis is an endemic disease in various regions of the world. Testicular abscess is a very rare complication of brucellosis which can be misdiagnosed as a testicular mass and may lead to unnecessary orchiectomy. To our knowledge there are only eight reported cases in the literature of a brucellar testicular abscess. We present a case of testicular abscess due to brucellosis diagnosed with serologic tests and color Doppler sonography, and treated with antibiotics and fine needle aspiration. Key words: Abscess, brucellosis, color Doppler sonography, testicular, ultrasonography

Ultrasound (US)-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) has played a crucial role in managing patients with thyroid nodules, owing to its safety and accuracy. However, even with US guidance, nondiagnostic sampling and infrequent complications still occur after FNA. Accordingly, the Task Force on US-FNA of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has provided consensus recommendations for the US-FNA technique and related issues to improve diagnostic yield. These detailed procedures are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature and from the consensus of experts.

Background: Studies on ultrasonography (USG) guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) have been conducted in specialized settings such as thyroid, breast, and intra-abdominal aspirates. There is a paucity of literature on the practices of guided FNAC in a general cytopathology service. Aim: The aim was to determine prevailing practices of USG guided FNAC in a general cytopathology service of a teaching hospital. Settings and Design: Metropolitan hospital, clinical audit. Materials and Methods: Audit of 112 USG guided percutaneous FNAC done over 12 months. Statistical Analysis: Data were coded, entered in an excel spreadsheet and analyzed by translating into percentages and proportions. Results: The 112 guided FNACs included constituted 36 thyroid (32.14%), 45 intra-abdominal (40.17%), 11 breast (9.82%), 10 superficial lymph node (8.92%) and 10 soft tissue and miscellaneous (8.92%) lesions. Previous freehand FNAC was documented on the requisition forms in 14 cases. The reports were: Inadequate 33 (29.46%), nondiagnostic descriptive 35 (31.25%) or diagnostic 44 (39.28%). Inadequacy rates of aspirates from thyroid were 11 (30.56%) breast were 2 (18.18%), and intra-abdominal lesions were 13 (28.88%). Majority of the reports were nonstructured: 108 (96.42%) and nonrecommendatory: 101 (90.17%). Conclusions: Reporting practices varied and did not conform to a uniform structure. The inadequacy rates of breast and thyroid aspirates were comparable to the rates in the literature. Comparable studies were not available for intra-abdominal aspirates.

In this work, based on the research of treatment results of 646 patients that were operated for nodular and multinodular nontoxic goiter in Hospital St. Elizabeth endocrinology center, in the period from 1997 to 2013, an analysis of the malignant tumor frequency in patients with follicular thyroid tumors who underwent surgical treatment for the nodular goiter was performed. In this group gender and age characteristics of patients with follicular thyroid tumors were identified, and also an evaluation of surgical treatment safety in patients operated for follicular thyroid tumors was performed.