What does it mean when a biopsy is indeterminate?

What does it mean when a biopsy is indeterminate?

Indeterminate biopsy results can occur in 15–20% of biopsies. This happens when a few atypical cells are seen but not enough to be called cancer (atypia of unknown significance (AUS) or follicular lesion of unknown significance (FLUS)) or when the diagnosis is a follicular or hurthle cell lesion.

Is THY3 a cancer?

A large nodule (>4 cm) with THY3 cytology has a high likelihood of being a cancer, and arguably such patients could be offered total thyroidectomy rather than diagnostic lobectomy.

What does THY3 mean?

One in four patients with follicular thyroid cytology (THY3) has a thyroid carcinoma.

Does hypoechoic nodule mean cancer?

Keep in mind that, while hypoechoic nodules are more likely to be cancerous, echogenicity itself isn’t a reliable predictor of thyroid cancer. It’s simply a sign that your doctor may need to do additional testing, such as a biopsy.

What does indeterminate mean on a thyroid biopsy?

About 25% of the time when we biopsy a thyroid nodule, we will diagnose it as an “indeterminate thyroid nodule.” This is when the cells do not look completely benign but also do not look absolutely cancerous. Nodules in this grey area have a 5-30% chance of containing a thyroid cancer.

What percentage of U3 thyroid nodules are cancerous?

While most thyroid nodules are non-cancerous (Benign), ~5% are cancerous.

What is a Grade 3 thyroid nodule?

Grade III (score = 3) a single isoechoic nodule or a hypoechoic solid nodule with a regular border, suggestive of a thyroid neoplasm. A cystic nodule with a solid projection from the cyst wall may represent a papillary carcinoma.

What does it mean to have an indeterminate nodule?

These are the Indeterminate Nodules. I – Nondiagnostic: Sometimes the material obtained during the FNA is not enough and the doctor reading the slides (cytopathologist) will say it is insufficient. This result is often reported as “non-diagnostic” of “insufficient”.

How many nodules are there in the thyroid?

This nodule (shown in red) comprises about 80% of the thyroid tissue (shown in yellow) in this particular area of the thyroid. If you looked at other parts of the thyroid, however, you would not see the nodulem; you would only see normal thyroid tissue. Certain characteristics of thyroid nodules seen on an ultrasound are more worrisome than others.

Can a person with thy3 nodule have cancer?

Most people who have a Thy3 nodule turn out not to have it. There are not really any exact figures it depend what you read. But the literature suggests that between 70 to 80% (70 to 80 out of every 100) of people with a Thy3 nodule won’t have cancer.

Can a thyroid nodule cause shortness of breath?

Be seen, often as a swelling at the base of your neck Press on your windpipe or esophagus, causing shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing In some cases, thyroid nodules produce additional thyroxine, a hormone secreted by your thyroid gland.

Which is better thy3a or thy3f nodules?

In 2014, the British Thyroid Association subdivided the original Thy3 category into Thy3a and Thy3f and recommended a more conservative approach to management for Thy3a nodules. Despite this, only two centres yielded a higher conversion rate of malignancy in the new higher graded Thy3f group compared with Thy3a.

These are the Indeterminate Nodules. I – Nondiagnostic: Sometimes the material obtained during the FNA is not enough and the doctor reading the slides (cytopathologist) will say it is insufficient. This result is often reported as “non-diagnostic” of “insufficient”.

When to worry about a nodule on the thyroid?

If concern arises about the possibility of cancer, the doctor may simply recommend monitoring the nodule over time to see if it grows. Ultrasound can help evaluate a thyroid nodule and determine the need for biopsy.

Are there any cases of indeterminate thyroid cancer?

The diagnosis of thyroid cancer is evolving but detection for malignancy for indeterminate nodules remains below 50% for most centres around the world. In 2014, the British Thyroid Association subdivided the original Thy3 category into Thy3a and Thy3f and recommended a more conservative approach to management for Thy3a nodules.