Comparison of diagnostic values of thyroid aspiration samples using liquid-based preparation and conventional smear: one-year experience in a single institution

Abstract

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is the most useful tool in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Liquid-based preparation (LBP) in FNA of thyroid nodules is now widely used and is replacing the conventional smear (CS). We compared the diagnostic value of the LBP method with that of CS in thyroid lesions. A total of 1767 CS FNA samples and 2523 LBP FNA samples were included in this comparison of diagnostic values. We also assessed the differences in cytomorphologic features in 41 randomly selected cases of PTC. The measured sensitivities of CS and LBP were 78.9% and 76.3%, respectively, and the specificities were 64.2% and 54.9%, respectively, whereas the positive predictive values were 92.3% and 94.3%, respectively, and the negative predictive values were 89.5% and 81.8%, respectively. The cytomorphological features of LBP showed better-preserved nuclear details, cleaner background and fewer large papillae than were evident in CS. The results indicate that LBP reduces the diagnosis of non-diagnostic or unsatisfactory/atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance, although the diagnostic values for CS and LBP are not appreciably different.