Association of low sodium-iodide symporter messenger ribonucleic acid expression in malignant thyroid nodules with increased intracellular protein staining.

Context: The expression of sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is required for iodide uptake in thyroid cells. Benign and malignant thyroid tumors have low iodide uptake. However, previous studies by RT-PCR or immunohistochemistry have shown divergent results of NIS expression in these nodules.