The introduction of highly sensitive imaging techniques has made it possible to detect many nonpalpable thyroid nodules (non-PTN). We investigated the value of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-guided FNAB) as a diagnostic tool in the management of non-PTN as well as palpable thyroid nodules (PTN) that were considered difficult to aspirate without guidance. US-guided FNAB was performed on a total of 119 nodules (71 palpable and 48 nonpalpable) from 119 patients between 1992 and 1996. All available clinical and follow-up data were reviewed. Surgical follow-up was available in 24 cases. The patients included 100 females and 19 males ranging in age from 9 to 81 years (average, 51 years). FNA diagnoses (PTN versus non-PTN) included papillary carcinoma (12.7% [9/71] versus 4.2% [2/48], follicular neoplasm (16.9% [12/71] versus 0%), medullary carcinoma (1.4% [1/71] versus 0%), atypical cytology (5.6% [4/71] versus 2.1% [1/48], non-neoplastic thyroid (63.4% [45/71] versus 85.4% [41/48]) and unsatisfactory (0% versus 8.3% [4/48]). In 2 cases of occult papillary carcinoma, risk factors included radiation exposure (1 case) and a newly developed nodule during follow-up for hypothyroidism (1 case). Subsequent surgical follow-up (24 cases) confirmed the FNA findings, except for a case of Hürthle cell adenoma and 1 of Hashimoto's thyroiditis diagnosed as papillary carcinoma and follicular neoplasm, respectively. US-guided FNAB in most non-PTN are diagnosed as benign. For most patients with non-PTN and without any high-risk factors, a conservative approach such as clinical follow-up may be a more cost effective and logical approach. In contrast, US-guided FNAB is more useful in diagnosing biologically significant lesions in PTN that may be difficult to aspirate without guidance.

CD44 variant expression is a molecular prognostic maker for epithelial ovarian carcinomas. CD44-v10 expression is an independent prognostic indicator and the site of expression determines a positive or negative influence in survival. Our results also indicate that CD44 may be involved in important tumor/stroma interactions.

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Thyroid nodules in children are extremely uncommon and in most cases present as asymptomatic neck masses. The significance of a thyroid nodule in a child involves the underlying risk of malignancy. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of results of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid nodules in the pediatric population and its usefulness in pediatric patient management. FNAB was performed on a total of 57 thyroid nodules from 57 patients between 1992 and 1997. The patients included 46 females and 11 males ranging in age from 9 to 20 years (average 16.5 years). Surgical and/or clinical follow up was available in all patients. FNAB diagnoses included papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) (12.3% [7/57]), follicular neoplasm (FN) (15.8% [9/57]), atypical cytology (8.8% [5/57]) and nonneoplastic thyroid (63.2% [36/57]). Surgical follow-up available in all patients with cytological diagnoses of PTC, FN, and atypical cytology revealed malignancy in 13 cases. Of the 36 patients with nonneoplastic cytological diagnosis, surgical excision was performed in 3 patients and the rest were followed up clinically. Surgical excision in these 3 patients revealed follicular carcinoma (FC) (1 case) and multinodular goiter (2 cases). Overall, 14 patients (24.6%) had malignant thyroid lesions, including 11 PTC and 3 FC. In conclusion, the majority of pediatric thyroid nodules are benign. The prevalence of malignancy in pediatric patients with thyroid nodules in our series was 24.6%. High diagnostic accuracy of thyroid FNAB improves selection of pediatric patients requiring surgery.

BACKGROUND The follicular variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid (FVPCT) is being increasingly diagnosed on excised thyroid nodules. However, the fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) and intraoperative diagnosis is often that of a follicular neoplasm, especially in papillary carcinomas with a pure or predominantly follicular pattern. The authors undertook this study in an attempt to refine the cytologic criteria for the diagnosis of FVPCT. METHODS The authors reviewed 16 cases with cytologic diagnoses of FVPCT (9 cases), suspicious for FVPCT (6 cases), or cellular adenomatoid nodule (1 case) based on aspirates stained with Papanicolaou stain or a Giemsa‐type stain (Diff‐Quik). All cases had been confirmed histologically as pure or predominantly (>80%) FVPCT in 13 cases and as follicular adenoma in 3 cases. Cytologic features evaluated included cellularity, cell arrangement, nuclear features, cytoplasm, and colloid. RESULTS Twelve of 13 cases of FVPCT were correctly diagnosed cytologically. Features that proved useful in the diagnosis of FVPCT were the concomitant and conspicuous presence of ovoid or pear‐shaped nuclei with hypochromasia and nuclear grooves. Soft features included nuclear overlap and eccentric, small nucleoli. Cytoplasmic features were not useful in making this diagnosis. Based on cell arrangement and colloid, it was possible to predict microfollicular and macrofollicular variants. The microfollicular subtype showed rosettes or microfollicles and scant, thick colloid in casts and blobs. The macrofollicular subtype had predominantly sheets or spherules with abundant, thick background colloid. Nuclear pseudoinclusions and psammoma bodies were absent and multinucleated giant cells rarely found. Pitfalls leading to a "false‐positive" FVPCT diagnosis included oncocytic adenoma (in 2 cases) and atypical adenoma (in 1 case). A cytologic diagnosis of cellular adenomatoid nodule was made in one case of macrofollicular FVPCT. CONCLUSIONS The authors present improved cytologic criteria for the diagnosis of pure FVPCT on smears stained with Papanicolaou stain or Diff‐Quik, and they elaborate on the clues and pitfalls associated with this diagnosis. The cytologic features of the macrofollicular and microfollicular subtypes of FVPCT are also described. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 1998;84:235‐244. © 1998 American Cancer Society.