Follow-up of benign thyroid nodules confirmed by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy after inconclusive cytology on fine-needle aspiration biopsy

Abstract

The goal of this study was to follow benign thyroid nodules confirmed by ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) after inconclusive cytology.Methods: Sixty-two thyroid nodules with CNB-confirmed benign histology that initially had inconclusive cytology from 62 patients were retrospectively included. We followed those thyroid nodules for 38.7 months (median, 27.5 months; range, 6-101 months) and evaluated the US findings of biopsied nodules, such as the interval change in size, US characteristics, and imaging category based on the Korean Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (K-TIRADS). In addition, we reviewed the clinical records for any further management or newly diagnosed thyroid malignancy.Results: Among 62 cases, three cases (4.8%) showed interval size growth, while 59 (95.2%) demonstrated no interval change or decrease in size. There was no upgrade of K-TIRADS category or any newly diagnosed malignancy during the follow-up period. Conclusion: US-guided CNB-confirmed benign thyroid nodules after inconclusive cytology showed stable status during follow-up and repeat CNB could be helpful in the management of inconclusive cytology.