[Ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy on the thyroid nodules: the adequacy and the predicting factors for the nodule management].

Objective: To explore the adequacy of the initial ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) on the thyroid nodules and the potential factors for predicting the management of the nodules.

Methods: Retrospectively collected the subjects who underwent the CNB on the thyroid nodules within one year, with the inclusion criteria: (1) initial CNB on the thyroid nodules, (2) underwent the ultrasound scanning 1 month before the biopsy. The following data were recorded, which were the patient's age, sex, the lesion's sonographic findings (size, number, content, margin, echo, calcification, and internal vascularity), and histopathology. The CNB pathological diagnostic criterion was set up referring to the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC).

Results: One hundred and fifty-seven patients with 162 nodules were enrolled, and the adequacy of the CNB was 97.5% (158/162, 95%CI 93.8%-99.3%). Referring to the BSRTC, of all the 153 nodules with determined management, 64 (64/153, 41.8%, 95%CI 34.0%-49.6%) were to be followed up only, and 89 (89/153, 58.2%, 95%CI 50.4%-66.0%) were to be undergone nodule excision. Three of the sonographic findings, including lesion margin, echogenicity, and internal vascularity, were significantly associated with the management of the nodules (P < 0.05), and the internal vascularity and margin were demonstrated as the independent factors for predicting the nodule excision by using the logistic regression model (Odds Ratio = 2.942, 2.767, P < 0.05). Only one case of moderate localized hematoma was observed in this series.

Conclusion: As long as the specification of biopsy operation and pathology interpretation, the procedure of CNB on the thyroid nodules is safe with high adequacy as well. The sonographic margin and internal vascularity of the lesion are the independent factors for predicting the nodule excision.