Table 2.

Thyroid FNA performer and interpreter

Country	Sampling	Interpretation
China	Primarily performed in endocrinology department in 1970–80s.	Primarily performed in endocrinology department in 1970–80s.
	After 1987, thyroid FNA began to be popular in the pathology department.	After 1987, thyroid FNA began to be interpreted mainly by pathologists.
	Thyroid FNA is not yet well accepted in China.
	Most general hospital use frozen section as a diagnostic method instead of thyroid FNA.
India	Blind, palpation-guided FNAs performed by cytopathologists	Interpretation done by pathologists
	US-guided FNA performed by clinicians or radiologists	Rapid on-site evaluation done in few academic institutions
	Palpation-guided FNA appears to be the most commonly used technique.
Japan	US-guided FNA usually performed by clinicians	Pathologists and clinicians with a board certification in cytopathology
Korea	US-guided FNA usually performed by clinicians	Pathologists (cytopathologists) only interpret the thyroid FNA.
Philippines	Thyroid FNA procedure under US-guidance is performed by pathologists and clinicians.	Majority of pathologists report the diagnosis of cytology.
		All interpretations are rendered by the pathologist.
Taiwan	Radiologists are the major performer of thyroid FNA.	Pathologists are the main diagnostician.
	US is used in most cases.	Before 1995, clinicians used to be both the performer and the interpreter of thyroid FNA.
Thailand	FNA procedure is universally performed by clinicians.	Almost all cases of thyroid FNA cytology are signed out by certified pathologists.
	In academic environment, trainees are frequently responsible to perform FNA.	Cytotechnologists are not involved in thyroid FNA.
		Few endocrinologists sign out thyroid FNA in academic centers.
		Rapid on-site evaluation is rarely performed.

FNA, fine-needle aspiration; US, ultrasound.