Investigation of Predictive Factors for Patients with Nondiagnostic or Insufficient FNAB Results Who Underwent Thyroidectomy

Thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is used in managing patients with thyroid nodules. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the predictive factors for malignancy.
The study included 171 patients whose FNAB results were interpreted as nondiagnostic twice or more and who had previously undergone a surgical treatment. Patients were evaluated in terms of demographic characteristics; serum thyroglobulin, antithyroglobulin, and anti-thyroid peroxidase levels, and ultrasound features.
A statistically significant difference was found between malign and benign patients in terms of anti-thyroglobulin levels and hypoechogenicity. However, no significant difference was observed in terms of age; sex; anti-thyroidperoxidase and thyroglobulin levels; nodule diameter; solid, cystic, or mixed features; and other ultrasonographic features.
Hypoechogenity and anti-thyroglobulin levels can be used as predictive factors in terms of malignancy for patients whose FNAB results were nondiagnostic two or more times.