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Background: To determine whether multiple fine-needle passes to the same thyroid nodule in the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy session affect sufficient and/or atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) cytological result.
Methods: Ultrasonography(US) and cyto-histopathology results of the nodules of patients were retrospectively analyzed. The nodules were divided into 2 groups according to the number of needle passes performed in the same FNA session as those with 1 pass (1-pass group) and those with 2 or 3 passes (multiple-pass group).
Results: Totally, 1409 (93.9%) nodules were performed 1 pass, and 91 (6.1%) were performed multiple pass(n=91).The rates of cystic/mixed nodule, macrocalcification, and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 score were higher in the multiple-pass group (P=.001, P=.039, P=.006, respectively). Adequacy and AUS/FLUS rates were similar between the 2 groups. When nodules with macrocalcifications and cystic/ mixed structures were evaluated as 2 separate subgroups, the rates of the adequacy and AUS/FLUS were similar between 1-pass and multiplepass groups within each subgroup.The number of passes showed no univariate or multivariate significant effect on sufficient and/or AUS/FLUS cytology results (P > .05).
Conclusion: Although more passes are performed in cystic/mixed and macrocalcified nodules estimating that the material would be insufficient with macroscopic on-site evaluation, needle insertion of 2 or 3 times does not affect obtaining sufficient and/or AUS/FLUS cytology compared to 1 pass.
Cite this article as: Dellal Kahramanca FD, Cuhaci Seyrek FN, Alkan A, Topaloglu O, Ersoy R, Cakir B. Evaluating the effect of multiple passes to the same thyroid nodule in the fine-needle aspiration biopsy session on obtaining adequate or the atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance cytological result. B-ENT. 2024;20(2):112-120.