Increased diagnostic sensitivity of palpation-guided thyroid nodule fine-needle aspiration cytology by BRAF V600E-mutation analysis.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer and its incidence is increasing. Preoperative diagnosis is warranted in order to avoid 'two-stage' procedures that are associated with additional costs and higher radioactive iodine remnant uptake. In the setting of thyroid cancer, somatic BRAF V600E-mutations are highly specific for PTC and can be analyzed in aspirates from fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).