Acantosis nigricans maligna y carcinoma mamario. Presentación de un caso

Las manifestaciones cutáneas de los tumores malignos comprenden un grupo de dermatosis que pueden ser marcadores de la presencia de neoplasias ocultas y permiten su diagnóstico oportuno. El objetivo de este informe es presentar las características clínicas de una acantosis nigricans asociada a carcinoma de mamario. Para ello, se describe el caso clínico de una paciente de 50 años, color de piel negro, asistida en la consulta de Dermatología del Policlínico Universitario Raúl Sánchez, por tener una placa única eritematosa localizada en la mama izquierda, acompañada de dolor, aumento de la temperatura local y máculas hipercrómicas en las axilas; así como adenopatías axilares múltiples. Los exámenes complementarios mostraron la presencia de acantosis nigricans maligna asociada a un carcinoma inflamatorio de la mama izquierda. Fue intervenida quirúrgicamente, con la consiguiente desaparición de las lesiones cutáneas, pero con un pronóstico reservado. La mayoría de los síndromes paraneoplásicos son inespecíficos; existe una necesidad urgente de sospechar una correlación entre los cambios cutáneos y la posibilidad de una neoplasia interna, por lo que es de suma importancia derivar a estos pacientes para su identificación y el diagnóstico precoz de la enfermedad de base. Esto mejoraría el pronóstico y atenuaría en gran medida las consecuencias.

The skin manifestations of malignant tumors include a group of dermatoses that can be the sign of the occult neoplasms presence and allow their timely diagnosis. The objective of this report is to present the acanthosis nigricans' clinical characteristics associated with breast carcinoma. The clinical case of a 50-years-old black-skinned patient is described, assisted in the Dermatology consultation of the Raúl Sánchez University Polyclinic, for having a single erythematous plaque located in the left breast, accompanied by pain, increased local temperature and hyperchromic macules in the armpits; as well as multiple axillary lymphadenopathy. Complementary examinations showed the presence of malignant acanthosis nigricans associated with an inflammatory carcinoma of the left breast. She underwent surgery, with the consequent disappearance of the skin lesions, but with a reserved prognosis. Most paraneoplastic syndromes are nonspecific; there is an urgent need to suspect a correlation between skin changes and the possibility of an internal neoplasia, so it is of utmost importance to refer these patients for identification and early diagnosis of the underlying disease. This would improve the prognosis and greatly mitigate the consequences.

Lacrimal gland pleomorphic adenoma: a narrative review / Adenoma pleomórfico de glândula lacrimal: uma revisão narrativa

ABSTRACT We present a literature review of 57 publications describing this pathology, published from the year 2012. In all these studies patients were reported to depict a slow-growing, motionless mass, which is painless at most times. All cases were managed by total excision, except for one report where adjuvant radiotherapy was applied. Among the several therapeutic strategies, the total tumor resection, preserving the tumor pseudocapsule intact, appears to be a consensus in treating the disease efficiently. Furthermore, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, including the assessment of genetic alterations, has proved to be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of challenging cases. Our literature survey also suggests that an incisional biopsy before the surgery may lead to the pseudocapsule disruption, thus considerably increasing the chances of adenoma recurrence, enabling its malignization. At present, genetics studies indicate that the molecular aberrations involved in the adenoma are similar to those represented in the salivary gland tumor pathogenesis. Further, in the recurrent cases, the pathology becomes difficult to treat and multiple surgeries may be required, occasionally, leading to radical surgery treatment.

RESUMO Uma revisão narrativa da literatura de 57 publicações que descrevem esta patologia, publicada a partir de 2012. Os pacientes têm uma massa de crescimento lento e imóvel, que na maioria das vezes é indolor. Todos os casos foram tratados por excisão total, com exceção de um relatório de radioterapia adjuvante. Entre as estratégias terapêuticas encontradas, a ressecção total do tumor, preservando a pseudocápsula tumoral intacta, parece ser um consenso. Alternativamente, a biópsia por aspiração de agulha fina incluindo a avaliação de alterações genéticas pode representar uma ferramenta valiosa nos casos diagnósticos desafiadores. Uma biópsia incisional antes da cirurgia não é recomendada, pois a ruptura da pseudocápsula aumenta consideravelmente a recorrência do adenoma, permitindo até mesmo sua malignização. Com relação à genética, estudos atuais indicam que as aberrações moleculares envolvidas no adenoma são semelhantes às da patogênese do tumor da glândula salivar. Para casos de recorrência, a patologia torna-se difícil de tratar e múltiplas cirurgias podem ser necessárias, às vezes levando a um tratamento cirúrgico radical.

Accuracy of ultrasound in predicting thyroid malignancy: a comparative analysis of the ACR TI-RADS and ATA risk stratification systems

ABSTRACT Objective: Thyroid nodules are very common in clinical practice, and ultrasound has long been used as a screening tool for their evaluation. Several risk assessment systems based on ultrasonography have been developed to stratify the risk of malignancy and determine the need for fine-needle aspiration in thyroid nodules, including the American Thyroid Association (ATA) system and the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS). The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the ATA and ACR TI-RADS systems in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules based on the nodules' final histopathology reports. Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective review of medical records to identify patients who underwent thyroid surgery at King Abdulaziz University from 2017 to 2022. The ultrasound features of the nodules with confirmed histopathology (benign versus malignant) were evaluated. Both ATA and ACR TI-RADS scores were documented. Results: The analysis included 191 patients who underwent thyroid surgery and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Hemithyroidectomy was performed in 22.5% of the patients, and total thyroidectomy was performed in 77.0% of them. In all, 91 patients (47.6%) were found to have malignant nodules on histopathology. We then compared the histopathology reports with the preoperative ultrasonographic risk scores. The estimated sensitivity and specificity in identifying malignant nodules were, respectively, 52% and 80% with the ATA system and 51.6% and 90% with the ACR TI-RADS system. Conclusion: Both ATA and ACR TI-RADS risk stratification systems are valuable tools for assessing the malignancy risk in thyroid nodules. In our study, the ACR TI-RADS system had superior specificity compared with the ATA system in predicting malignancy among high-risk lesions.

Diagnostic value of transthoracic needle biopsy in lung tumors

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Thoracic ultrasonography is widely used in imaging peripheral lesions and invasive interventional procedures. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of thoracic ultrasonography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy and the factors affecting the diagnosis of peripheral tumoral lung lesions. METHODS: The lesion size, biopsy needle type, number of blocks, complications, and pathology results were compared in 83 patients between January 2015 and July 2018. The cases with pathological non-diagnosis and definite pathological diagnosis were determined. For the assessment of the factors affecting diagnosis, the size of the lesions and the biopsy needle type were evaluated. Biopsy preparations containing non-diagnostic atypical cells were referred to a cytopathologist. The effect of the cytopathological examination on the diagnosis was also evaluated. RESULTS: Pathological diagnosis was made in 66.3% of the cases; cell type could not be determined in 22.9% of the cases, and they were referred to a cytopathologist. After the cytopathologist's examination, the diagnosis rate increased to 80.7%. Diagnosis rates were higher when using tru-cut than Chiba and higher in cases with tumor size >2 cm than smaller. CONCLUSION: Thoracic ultrasonography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy is a preferred approach to the diagnosis of peripheral tumoral lung lesions, given its high diagnostic rate, in addition to being cheap, highly suitable for bedside use, and safe, and the lack of radiation exposure.

Application and development of endoscopic techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases / 临床肝胆病杂志

Liver disease is one of the most important health problems around the world， and early diagnosis and timely intervention and treatment are the key to preventing liver-related morbidity and mortality rates. The development of endoscopic techniques has provided new diagnostic and intervention methods for liver diseases. This article reviews the application and development of endoscopic techniques in liver diseases from the following aspects： the technical advances and advantages of endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy； the application and development of endoscopic techniques in the treatment of portal hypertension caused by liver abscess/hepatic cyst and liver diseases， as well as interventional techniques in the treatment of liver tumors； the efficacy and prospects of the endoscopic techniques for weight loss， which are relatively new in China， in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Endoscopic techniques may hold promise for wide clinical application and exploration in in liver-related diseases in China， so as to provide more options for patients and doctors.

Unilateral parotid gland Simultaneously primary two different pathological tumors: a case report and literature review / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To explore the clinical manifestations, histopathological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of simultaneous unilateral primary tumors of different pathological types in the parotid gland.@*Methods@#A case of simultaneous unilateral primary parotid gland tumors, i.e., adenolymphoma and basal cell adenoma, was reviewed and analyzed in combination with the literature.@*Results@#The patient discovered a lump in the right parotid gland area one month prior to presentation, and a tumor was palpated in the shallow lobe of the right parotid gland before surgery. According to MR images, the initial diagnoses were tumors of the shallow and deep lobes of the right parotid gland. The tumors of the deep and shallow lobes were excised with part of the gland, and the facial nerves were dissected under general anesthesia. Postoperative pathology revealed an adenolymphoma in the shallow lobe of the right parotid gland and a basal cell adenoma with cystic transformation in the deep lobe. The surgical effect was good, with no complications, and there was no recurrence after 1 year of follow-up. A review of the relevant literature showed that multiple primary tumors of the parotid gland can manifest as the simultaneous presence of two or more types of tumors on both sides or on one side, and the disease is mainly treated with surgery.@*Conclusion@#Multiple unilateral primary parotid gland tumors are rare. Imaging examinations need to be combined with clinical evaluations to prevent missed diagnoses. Surgery is the first treatment option, and patients with benign tumors have a good prognosis.

Efectividad y seguridad de la biopsia hepática guiada porendosonografía en enfermedad hepática en un hospital públicode nivel III

La evaluación de la enfermedad hepática parenquimal suele comprender exámenes de laboratorio y de imagen; sin embargo, en algunos casos se puede requerir una biopsia hepática. La biopsia del hígado guiada por endosonografía se ha reportado como un procedimiento con un rendimiento diagnóstico entre 90 a 100% con un perfil bajo de eventos adversos; sin embargo, no existen estudios que reporten la experiencia y el tipo de técnica empleada en nuestro país. Objetivo: Determinar la efectividad y la seguridad de la biopsia hepática guiada por endosonografía en enfermedad hepática parenquimal. Materiales y métodos: Estudio prospectivo realizado en un hospital público de nivel de atención III-2 en Lima, Perú, el cual incluyó pacientes mayores de 18 años con sospecha de alguna enfermedad hepática parenquimal que fueron sometidos a una biopsia guiada por endosonografía desde marzo del 2018 a octubre del 2022. Resultados: El rendimiento diagnóstico de las biopsias fue de 77,02%, con una longitud media de la muestra obtenida de 13,98 mm (desviación estándar 7,34) y una mediana de 8 espacios porta completos (0-50). Cabe mencionar que solo un 31.25% de procedimientos se realizaron con aguja fina de biopsia (FNB), encontrándose una diferencia significativa entre el tipo de aguja y el rendimiento diagnóstico (p=0,01). El diagnóstico histopatológico más frecuente el de hepatitis autoinmune. Y existieron un 2,08% de complicaciones post procedimiento. Conclusiones: Las biopsias guiadas por endosonografía para el diagnóstico de enfermedad parenquimal hepática tienen una efectividad cercana al 80% en nuestro medio y con un perfil bajo de eventos adversos; sin embargo, se necesitan estudios prospectivos y con un mayor número de pacientes.

Parenchymal liver diseases are commonly evaluated by laboratory and imaging studies. However, in some cases a liver biopsy is required. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) has been reported as a procedure with high diagnostic yield (90-100%) with low adverse event profile, but there are not studies which report about the experience and technique in our country. Objective: Determinate the effectiveness and the safety of endosonography-guided liver biopsy in liver parenchymal disease. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted at a III-2 level of care Public Hospital in Lima, Peru. It included patients over 18 years of age with suspicion of parenchymal liver disease who underwent EUS-LB for study hepatic parenchymal disease since March of 2018 to October of 2022. Results: The diagnostic yield of the biopsies was 77.02%, with a mean length of the sample of 13.98mm (standard deviation 7.34) and a median of 8 complete portal spaces (0-50). Only 31.25% of the procedures were performed with a fine needle biopsy (FNB), finding a significant difference between the type of needle and the diagnostic yield (p=0.01). The most common histopathological diagnosis was autoinmune hepatitis. There were 2.08% of post-procedure complications. Conclusions: EUS-LB for the diagnosis of liver parenchymal disease had a diagnostic yield close to 80% in our region with a low profile of adverse events. However, more prospectives studies with a larger number of patients are required.

Anaplastic (undifferentiated) carcinoma of pancreas, an uncommon variant: Diagnosed on endoscopic-guided fine needle aspiration

Anaplastic carcinoma of pancreas (ACP) are rare pancreatic neoplasms. They are well known to be associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and less favorable prognosis than usual pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is now a widely accepted modality in diagnosis of pancreatic lesions. However, only a few reports are available describing cytological features of anaplastic carcinoma. Here, we report two cases of ACP diagnosed on EUS-FNA.

The B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: An enigma to diagnose

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by an abnormal clonal proliferation of T-cells, B-cells, or both. Sometimes, tuberculosis and lymphoma presentation can share common symptoms and features. In this case report, we present the case of a 28-year-old female patient who came with a chief complaint of swelling on the right side of the face for the past 6 months. Initially, it was not associated with pain but gradually developed severe pain over the region and reduced salivary flow. The patient was planned for surgery with a differential diagnosis of salivary gland pathology. Post-operatively, the histopathological report showed atypical cells which were diffusely positive for cluster of differentiation (CD)20. Focally positive for CD45 and CD3 which was positive in reactive T lymphocytes. Immunohistochemistry pattern favors the diagnosis of B-cell type NHL. Through this case report, we want to share our experience in treating an aggressive tumor that mimics salivary gland pathology.

Application-of-the-proposed-sydney-system-in-reporting-of-the-lymph-node-cytopathology—a-retrospective-study

Introduction: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a widely accepted first line of investigation to diagnose the cause of lymphadenopathy. A standardized categorization and reporting system for lymph node cytology was proposed in 20th International Congress of Cytology at Sydney which consisted of 5 categories (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5) with management recommendations for each. Aims and Objective: To review the application of the Sydney system in achieving a uniform standardized approach for classifying and reporting lymph node cytology and to assess the risk of malignancy (ROM) for each category. : A 2 year single institute retrospective study. Clinical details were collectedMaterials and Methods from the patient records and cytology smears were reviewed by 2 cyto-pathologists as per the Sydney system. Histological correlation was done wherever possible. Statistical analysis was performed. 437 cases were re-Results: evaluated, with mean age of 39.66 years, slight male preponderance and cervical lymph node being the most common site. L2/Benign was the most common category with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia being the most common diagnosis and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma was the most common L5/malignant diagnosis. Histopathological correlation was available for 40 (9.1%) cases and the highest calculated risk of malignancy (ROM) was for L4 and L5 categories (100% each). The diagnostic accuracy of the proposed Sydney system in our study was 96.66%. TheConclusion: proposed Sydney system improves the diagnostic accuracy and standardizes the reporting of lymph node cyto- pathology. It improves the patient care by giving management recommendation to the clinicians.

Utilización del sistema Bethesda para el diagnóstico citológico de nódulos tiroideos / Use of the Bethesda system for the cytologic diagnosis of thyroid nodules: en

Introducción: El nódulo tiroideo es un hallazgo común en la actualidad y, por sus características ecográficas, constituye una lesión distinta al parénquima glandular, con una prevalencia alta en la población general. Objetivo: Describir el uso del sistema Bethesda como método de diagnóstico de nódulos tiroideos y el grado de malignidad. Métodos: Se efectuó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo de 1771 pacientes con diagnóstico de nódulo tiroideo, a quienes se les realizó citología por aspiración con aguja fina en el Departamento de Anatomía Patológica del Hospital General Docente Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso de Santiago de Cuba durante el cuatrienio 2016-2019. Resultados: En la serie predominó el grupo etario de 41-50 años y la edad media fue de 49,51±13,14 años. Asimismo, sobresalió la categoría II del sistema Bethesda (73,8 %); en tanto, de los 204 diagnosticados correspondientes a la categoría III, 111 fueron intervenidos quirúrgicamente y 29 de estos presentaron neoplasias malignas (27,6 %). El grado de malignidad osciló entre 22,8 y 36,0 %. Conclusiones: La aplicación del sistema Bethesda fue muy útil para el diagnóstico citopatológico de nódulos tiroideos y el grado de malignidad se correspondió con cifras adecuadas.

Introduction: The thyroid nodule is a common finding nowadays and, for its echographic characteristics, it constitutes a lesion different to the glandular parenchyma, with a high prevalence in the general population. Objective: To describe the use of the Bethesda system as diagnostic method of thyroid nodules and the degree of malignancy. Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study of 1 771 patients with diagnosis of thyroid nodule was carried out, who underwent fine needle aspiration cytology, in the Pathology Department of Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso Teaching General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba during 2016-2019. Results: In the series there was a prevalence of the 41-50 age group and the mean age was of 49,51±13,14 years. Also, the category II of the Bethesda system was notable (73.8 %); as long as, of the 204 diagnosed corresponding to the category III, 111 were surgically intervened and 29 of them presented mlignancy (27.6 %). The degree of malignancy oscillated between 22.8 and 36.0 %. Conclusions: The application of the Bethesda system was very useful for the cytopathologic diagnosis of thyroid nodules and the degree of malignancy corresponded with appropriate figures.

Risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules classified as Bethesda categories III, III - subcategories and IV: 2.5 years study

Introduction: Thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has gained significance as a quick, safe, and relatively simple method to differentiate malignant from benign thyroid nodules and is regarded as the gold-standard first-line diagnostic test in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) established a standardized, category-based reporting system for thyroid FNAC with each category having an implied cancer risk. However, the optimal management of thyroid nodules in the Bethesda III and IV categories is controversial, given the variable malignancy rates. Aims/Objectives: (1) Analysis of the cytomorphological characteristics of patients with categories III and IV of “TBSRTC.” (2) Assessment of risk of malignancy of TBSRTC category III, IV, and substratification of TBSRTC category III. Materials and Methods: A retrospective and prospective study of cases categorized under TBSRTC as category III and IV at a tertiary-care center. Cytological along with their histological results were compared. Results: We identified an overall malignancy rate of 33% for nodules belonging to Bethesda category III and a malignancy rate between 19% and 33% for Bethesda category IV. Also, a significantly higher risk of malignancy in subcategories with nuclear and architectural atypia (66.6%) than only architectural atypia (28.7%). Conclusion: Although surgery is recommended in most of these cases, cytomorphology helps to predict the final histopathological findings with greater accuracy. Substratification of category III into subgroups may help reduce the heterogeneity of the atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance category and more.

American Thyroid Association and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology: which one is better at predicting malignancy risk?

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the capacity of American Thyroid Association and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology in predicting malignancy risk of thyroid nodules and to verify which one is better at avoiding unnecessary fine needle aspiration. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with 565 thyroid nodules, followed at a tertiary care hospital, in an iodine-replete area. Those were classified as American Thyroid Association and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology systems and stratified according to the Bethesda classification of fine needle aspiration. The values of sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value accuracy were calculated. Also, the percentage of unnecessary biopsies was presented. RESULTS: The mean age of the individuals was 58.2±13.5 [26-90] years for benign nodules and 41.7±15.6 [23-66] years for malignant nodules (p=0.002). Regarding gender, 92.6% (n=150) of the individuals with benign nodules and 85.7% (n=06) with malignant nodules were females (p=0.601). For American Thyroid Association, 90.9% of sensibility, 51.4% of specificity, 52.6% of accuracy, 10.2% of positive predictive value, and 98.9% of negative predictive value were found. For Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology, 90.9% of sensibility, 49.7% of specificity, 52.1% of accuracy, 9.9% of positive predictive value, and 98.9% of negative predictive value were found. .Notably, 12.3% of unnecessary fine needle aspiration were found in American Thyroid Association and 44.4% were found in Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology. CONCLUSION: Both Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology and American Thyroid Association are able to predict the malignancy risk of thyroid nodules. Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System developed by the American College of Radiology was better at avoiding unnecessary fine needle aspiration.

Correlation between thyroid fine needle aspiration and pathological examination: a 10 year retrospective study

ABSTRACT Objective To establish the diagnostic performance of fine-needle aspiration in detecting benign and malignant neoplasm in comparison with post-thyroidectomy histopathological findings among patients who received a thyroidectomy. Methods Retrospective observational data collected between 2011-2021 were included from patients who received partial or total thyroidectomy. The Bethesda system was used to classify neoplasms from fine-needle aspiration procedures as benign or malignant. Sample characteristics, diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were evaluated. Results Patients (n=360) who underwent thyroidectomy were analyzed, of whom 142 (39.4%) and 218 (60.6%) had benign and malignant neoplasms, respectively. Using the Bethesda system, 23 (6.4%) were classified as unsatisfactory result (BI), 83 (23.1%) as benign (BII), 50 (13.9%) as atypia of undetermined significance (BIII), 23 (6.4%) as suspected follicular or Hürthle cell neoplasia (BIV), 102 (28.3%) as suspected malignancy (BV) and 79 (21.9%) as malignant (BVI). The fine-needle aspiration diagnostic accuracy for carcinomas was 92%, while the sensitivity and specificity were 94.4% and 86.9%, respectively. The negative and positive predictive values were 87.9% and 93.9%, respectively. Conclusion Fine-needle aspiration has high diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity, and is a reliable test for distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid pathologies.

Is the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio a marker for differentiating between benign and malignant submandibular gland masses?

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on the differentiation of benign and malignant masses in the submandibular triangle. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 48 patients who underwent surgery for submandibular gland masses between January 2013 and February 2023. The patient's age, gender, preoperative complete blood count and imaging findings, postoperative histopathological diagnosis, and hemogram data were analysed. Patients were evaluated according to their postoperative histopathological diagnoses and categorised into four main groups: sialolithiasis, sialadenitis, benign tumours, and malignant tumours. Benign submandibular gland disease formations were evaluated under group B and malignant tumour formations under group M. RESULTS: A preoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed on 19 patients due to sialadenitis, pleomorphic adenoma, and malignant diseases other than sialolithiasis. One patient died among the patients with malignant disease and the remaining 7 patients were compared with the benign group of 40 patients regarding preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. In the benign group, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was 2.64 preoperatively and decreased to 2.34 in the first postoperative year. The preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio decreased from 4.79 to 1.77 postoperatively in the malignant group. A statistically significant difference was observed (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a biomarker in submandibular gland masses and has prognostic significance in malignant masses. In addition to fine needle aspiration biopsy results, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a biomarker.

Should we reconsider high-risk features in thyroid ultrasonography?

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Round shape is generally considered to reduce the risk of malignancy according to recent guidelines. On the contrary, according to some reports, spherically shaped thyroid nodules are associated with a higher risk of malignancy. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the malignancy risk of solid round isoechoic nodules detected at thyroid ultrasonography and compare it with that of solid ovoid isoechoic nodules. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2022, solitary solid round isoechoic nodules with diameters ³10 and £25 mm at thyroid ultrasonography were retrospectively selected and enrolled in the study. Age, size, nodule volume, serum thyrotropin levels, thyroid antibody levels, and cytopathological and histopathological results were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 457 solitary solid isoechoechoic nodules from 457 patients (262 females and 195 males; median age, 59 [31-70] years) were selected, of which 203 were solid round isoechoic nodules, and 254 were solid ovoid isoechoic nodules. A total of 54 surgical operations were performed on 457 nodules, and 31 of them resulted in malignancy. From the 31 malignant results, 25 originated from solid round isoechoic nodules and the remaining 6 originated from solid ovoid isoechoic nodules (p<0.025). CONCLUSION: We found that round nodules have higher malignancy rates than ovoid nodules. We think that ultrasonographic risk stratification systems used to target the most suitable nodules for the necessary biopsies can be dynamically updated, and sphericity can be added as a parameter in patient-based decision-making.

Risk of malignancy and diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy in thyroid nodules with diameters greater than 4 centimeters

ABSTRACT Objective: The risk of malignancy and diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid nodules (TN) with diameters ≥ 3-4 cm remains controversial. However, some groups have indicated surgical treatment in these patients regardless of the FNAB results. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the FNAB in systematically resected ≥4 cm TN and if the risk of malignancy is higher in these patients. Subjects and methods: We retrospectively evaluated 138 patients (142 nodules) with TN with diameters ≥4 cm who underwent thyroidectomy. Results: The FNAB results were nondiagnostic/unsatisfactory (ND/UNS) in 2.1% of the cases and benign in 51.4%. They indicated atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) in 23.9% of cases, follicular neoplasia/suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (FN/SFN) in 9.2%, suspicion of malignancy (SUS) in 8.5%, and malignant in 4.9%. The histopathological analysis after thyroidectomy revealed a thyroid cancer rate of 100% in the FNABs classified as malignant, 33.3% in SUS cases, 7.7% in FN/SFN, 17.6% in AUS/FLUS, and 4.1% in benign FNABs. None of the ND/UNS FNABs were malignant. The global malignancy diagnosis was 14.8% (n = 21). However, the rate of false negatives for FNAB was low (4.1%). Conclusion: We showed that the risk of malignancy in nodules with diameters ≥4 cm was higher compared to the risk of thyroid cancer in TN in general. However, we found a low rate of false-negative cytological results; therefore, our data do not justify the orientation of routine resection for these larger nodules.

Influencing Factors of Bethesda Ⅲ Results in Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Thyroid Nodules / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of Bethesda Ⅲ results in fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules.Methods A total of 300 thyroid nodules with cytological diagnosis results were analyzed retrospectively,including 100 Bethesda Ⅲ nodules and 50 nodules of Bethesda Ⅱ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ,and Ⅵ categories,respectively.Univariate analysis and Logistic regression analysis were performed on the clinical data of patients and the ultrasound signs of thyroid nodules to clarify the factors influencing the diagnosis of Bethesda Ⅲ nodules.Results Univariate analysis showed that Bethesda Ⅲ nodules were mostly adjacent to the capsule(P<0.001),with no blood flow in the color Doppler assessment(P=0.011)and lack of blood supply(P=0.033)and maximum diameter ≤0.9 cm(P=0.038)as revealed by the contrast-enhanced ultrasound.Logistic regression showed that the position close to the capsule(OR=5.110,95%CI=2.153-12.130,P<0.001)and color Doppler without blood flow signal(OR=3.015,95%CI=1.094-8.311,P=0.033)were independent risk factors for the diagnosis of Bethesda Ⅲ nodules.Conclusions The puncture difficulty caused by the dangerous position of thyroid nodules close to the capsule and the aspiration difficulty caused by the absence of blood flow signal in color Doppler are the main factors influencing the diagnosis of Bethesda Ⅲ nodules.Therefore,corresponding avoidance measures should be taken during the aspiration process to reduce the diagnosis results of Bethesda Ⅲ nodules.

Diagnostic Value of American Thyroid Association Guidelines,American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System,and Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System Alone and Combined With BRAFV600E Mutation in Atypia of Undetermined Significance/Follicular Lesion of Undetermined Significance / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To explore the diagnostic efficacy of American Thyroid Association(ATA)guidelines,American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Report and Data System(ACR-TIRADS),and Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System(C-TIRADS)alone and combined with BRAFV600E mutation in atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance(AUS/FLUS).Methods A total of 138 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration(FNA)in the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2020 to May 2023 were selected.The clinicopathological and ultrasound characteristics were retrospectively analyzed for each nodule.Each nodule underwent preoperative BRAFV600E mutation testing and was diagnosed according to the ATA guidelines,ACR-TIRADS,and C-TIRADS.The diagnostic efficacy of ATA guidelines,ACR-TIRADS,and C-TIRADS alone and combined with BRAFV600E mutation was assessed based on the results of histopathological diagnosis.Results The 138 AUS/FLUS thyroid nodules included 45(32.6%)benign ones and 93(67.4%)malignant ones.The patient age(t=1.444,P=0.151),gender(χ2=0.259,P=0.611),and location of nodules(χ2=2.055,P=0.358)had no statistical significance for the differentiation between benign and malignant nodules,while nodule size(Z=2.500,P=0.012),echo(χ2=14.693,P<0.001),composition(χ2=17.075,P<0.001),aspect ratio ≥1(χ2=9.477,P=0.002),and microcalcification(χ2=6.892,P=0.009)were of significance for the differentiation.When applied alone,BRAFV600E mutation showed high specificity(95.56%)and positive predictive value(95.65%).Among the three ultrasound grading systems,ACR-TIRADS had the highest sensitivity(χ2=37.923,P<0.001;χ2=40.462,P<0.001)and accuracy(χ2=81.595,P<0.001;χ2=76.912,P<0.001),while C-TIRADS had the highest specificity(χ2=11.746,P<0.001;χ2=21.235,P<0.001).However,the three systems showed no statistically significant difference in the diagnostic efficiency when applied alone(Z=1.177,P=0.239;Z=0.213,P=0.831;Z=1.016,P=0.310).The combination of BRAFV600E mutation with ACR-TIRADS or C-TIRADS improved the diagnostic efficacy of BRAFV600E mutation in distinguishing the benign and malignant AUS/FLUS nodules(Z=2.107,P=0.035;Z=2.752,P=0.006).The combination of ATA guidelines with BRAFV600E mutation increased the diagnostic accuracy of BRAFV600E mutation(χ2=20.679,P<0.001),while it had no statistically significant difference in distinguishing the benign and malignant AUS/FLUS nodules(Z=1.321,P=0.186).The combination of ATA guidelines,ACR-TIRADS,or C-TIRADS with BRAFV600E mutation improved the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound grading systems for AUS/FLUS nodules(Z=2.770,P=0.006;Z=2.770,P=0.006;Z=2.890,P=0.004).Specifically,ACR-TIRADS combined with BRAFV600E mutation showed the highest sensitivity(χ2=4.712,P=0.030;χ2=4.712,P=0.030),while C-TIRADS combined with BRAFV600E mutation showed the highest accuracy(χ2=77.627,P<0.001;χ2=85.827,P<0.001).However,there were no statistically significant differences in diagnostic performance between the combinations(Z=1.276,P=0.202;Z=0.808,P=0.419;Z=1.615,P=0.106).Conclusion ATA guidelines,ACR-TIRADS,and C-TIRADS combined with BRAFV600E mutation can improve the diagnostic efficacy of BRAFV600E mutation or ultrasound grading system alone in AUS/FLUS nodules,which can facilitate the further management and treatment of such patients.

Stratifying indeterminate cytology thyroid nodules by combining Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (TI-RADS) and The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC)

Objective@#To determine the risk of malignancy of Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) indeterminate Thyroid Nodules (Bethesda III, IV and V) by combining cytologic (TSBRTC) and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (TI-RADS) ultrasonographic features based on final histopathology.@*Methods@#Design: Retrospective review of records. Setting: Tertiary Private Training Hospital. Participants: 551 records. @*Results@#Among 81 eligible participants, 59 out of 84 nodules (70.24%) wer malignant on histopathology. The malignancy risk of Bethesda classification was 60.87% (28 out of 46) for Bethesda III, 57.14% (8 out of 14) for Bethesda IV and 95.83% for Bethesda V. The malignancy risk for TI-RADS categories was 0 % (0/1) for TI-RADS 2, 50% (10 out of 20) for TI-RADS 3, 71.05 % for TI-RADS 4 and 91.67 % for TI-RADS 5. The highest risk of malignancy (100%) was associated with [Bethesda IV/TI-RADS 1, 2, and 3], [Bethesda V/TI-RADS 1, 2 and 3 [Bethesda IV and V/TI-RADS 1, 2 and 3] and [Bethesda IV/TI-RADS 5]. The lowest risk of malignancy (33.33%) was associated with [Bethesda III/TI-RADS1, 2 and 3]. A high Bethesda classification (Bethesda V) was almost 5x more likely to have a malignant anatomorphology compared with Bethesda III (p = .05) while a TI-RADS 4 or 5 category was almost 5x more likely to have a malignant anatomorphology compared to TI-RADS 1, 2 or 3 (p = .026).@*Conclusion@#This study showed that TI-RADS scoring is a sensitive diagnostic classification in recognizing patients with thyroid cancer and combining Bethesda classification and TI-RADS scoring increases the sensitivity in the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules. A higher likelihood of malignancy is associated with higher Bethesda classification and TI-RADS scoring.