Context.-The current study compares data from our hospital system before and after the 2008 implementation of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytology (BSRTC).Objective.-To show the effects the BSRTC has had on the reporting rates and outcomes for thyroid lesions.Design.-A search for thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNABs) was performed for 2002-2005 (before BSRTC) and -2011. Diagnostic outcomes were reviewed for cases with available follow-up.Results. -For 2002-For -2005, cytology reports for 3302 thyroid FNABs were reviewed, and 309 (9.4%) were classified as suspicious. For 2009-2011, cytology reports for 3432 thyroid FNABs were reviewed; 72 (2.1%) were classified as ''atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance'' (AUS/ FLUS), and 142 (4.1%) were classified as suspicious. Follow-up material was available for 31 AUS/FLUS cases (43.0%), and 6 of these cases (19%) were malignant. Follow-up material was available for 60 cases (42.3%) classified as suspicious, and 23 of these cases (38%) were malignant.Conclusions.-The AUS/FLUS rate of 2.1% at our institution is at the lower range of the ,7% recommended by the BSRTC, and our rate of 19% for risk of malignancy for AUS/FLUS is slightly above the BSRTC recommendation of 5% to 15%. Implementation of the BSRTC did not significantly affect our institution's reporting rates, most likely because an essentially similar classification system was employed before implementation of the BSRTC.

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Context.—Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is recommended as an initial screening tool for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Approximately 10% of thyroid FNA diagnoses are “suspicious for neoplasm,” warranting surgical resection. Objectives.—To examine the role of a patient's age, sex, size of nodule, and morphologic features as possible predictors of malignancy in patients with cytologic diagnosis of “suspicious for neoplasm.” Design.—Cytopathology slides and reports of 402 consecutive thyroid FNAs from 2000–2005 interpreted as “suspicious” were reviewed. Of these, 180 cases that had subsequent surgical resection were selected. Results.—Of the 108 cases suspicious for follicular neoplasm on cytologic evaluation, histologic follow-up showed malignancy in 26 (24%). Of the 37 cases suspicious for Hürthle cell neoplasm, 15 (41%) had malignancy. Of the 35 cases suspicious for malignancy, 29 had malignant histologic diagnoses. Among cases with cytologic diagnoses of “suspicious for follicular or Hürthle cell neoplasm,” the rate of malignancy in female patients was 22% as compared to 43% in male patients (P = .02). The rate of malignancy in nodules less than 2 cm was 19% compared to 47% in nodules measuring 2 cm or larger (P < .001). These differences were statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was noted between the age of the patient and the rate of benign versus malignant diagnosis. Conclusions.—Malignant tumors were more frequent in male patients with a cytologic diagnosis of “suspicious for follicular or Hürthle cell neoplasm” than in female patients. Risk of malignancy was higher in nodules measuring 2 cm or larger. Age of the patient was not a predictor of malignancy.