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Aspiration biopsy cytology in diagnosis of thyroid cancer

World Journal of Surgery volume 5, pages 61–70 (1981)Cite this article

Abstract

Aspiration biopsy cytology (ABC) is a diagnostic method that has been used extensively in Sweden for a quarter of a century. The technical steps involved in this biopsy procedure are described, and the differences from large needle biopsy techniques are pointed out. An overview is given of the different pathologic conditions that present as thyroid nodules and are recognizable by ABC. The accuracy of the method as a preoperative diagnostic tool has been shown to be superior to other clinical methods. ABC enables the surgeon not only to better select patients with thyroid nodules for surgery, but also to plan a definite operative strategy in papillary, medullary, and anaplastic neoplasms. In follicular neoplasms, however, the method cannot distinguish with certainty between adenoma and carcinoma. ABC has drastically reduced the number of diagnostic surgical operations for benign lesions. It requires no anesthesia. It has no complications and there is good patient acceptance, even in children.

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Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pathology (Cytology), Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Torsten Löwhagen M.D., Jan-Silvester Willems M.D., Göran Lundell M.D., Rolf Sundblad M.D. & Per-Ola Granberg M.D.

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  1. Torsten Löwhagen M.D.
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  2. Jan-Silvester Willems M.D.
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  3. Göran Lundell M.D.
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  4. Rolf Sundblad M.D.
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  5. Per-Ola Granberg M.D.
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Löwhagen, T., Willems, JS., Lundell, G. et al. Aspiration biopsy cytology in diagnosis of thyroid cancer. World J. Surg. 5, 61–70 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01657837

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01657837

Keywords

  • Adenoma
  • Thyroid Cancer
  • Needle Biopsy
  • Benign Lesion
  • Thyroid Nodule