Table 2.
Published series on reliability of fine needle aspiration biopsy for large thyroid nodules
| Nodule diameter (cm) | Patient number | Malignancy rate (%) | False negativity (%) | Sensitivity/specifity (%) | FNAB method | Suggests routine lobectomy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meko et al. (6) | >3 | 52 | 21 | 17 | Manual | YES | |
| MacCoy et al. (7) | >4 | 223 | 19.3 | 13 | US | YES | |
| Porterfield et al. (8) | >3 | 742 (145) | 0.7 | US | NO | ||
| Pinchott S.N. et al. (9) | >4 | 155 | 13.5 | 6 | Manual and US | YES | |
| Kuru et al. (10) | >4 | 148 | 24 | 4.3 | 88/86 | US | NO |
| Yoon YH et al. (11) | >3 | 661 (206) | 11.2 | 2 | 96.7/85.5 | US | NO |
| Raj MD (12) | >4 | 223 | 7.2 | 6.2 | 93.8/62.2 | US | NO |
| Albuja-cruz et al. (13) | >4 | 212 | 35 | 15 | 35/99 | US | NO |
| Wharry et al. (15) | >4 | 361 | 21.7 | 10.4 | YES | ||
| This study | >4 | 127 | 17.3 | 9.7 | 55.5/85 | Manual and US | YES |
FNAB: fine needle aspiration biopsy; US: ultrasound