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. 2017 Jul;51(4):410-417.
doi: 10.4132/jptm.2017.04.05. Epub 2017 Jun 14.

The Use of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology in Korea: A Nationwide Multicenter Survey by the Korean Society of Endocrine Pathologists

Mimi Kim  1 , Hyo Jin Park  2 , Hye Sook Min  1 , Hyeong Ju Kwon  3   4 , Chan Kwon Jung  5 , Seoung Wan Chae  6 , Hyun Ju Yoo  7 , Yoo Duk Choi  8 , Mi Ja Lee  9 , Jeong Ja Kwak  10 , Dong Eun Song  11 , Dong Hoon Kim  12 , Hye Kyung Lee  13 , Ji Yeon Kim  14 , Sook Hee Hong  15 , Jang Sihn Sohn  16 , Hyun Seung Lee  17 , So Yeon Park  2 , Soon Won Hong  18 , Mi Kyung Shin  19
Affiliations

The Use of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology in Korea: A Nationwide Multicenter Survey by the Korean Society of Endocrine Pathologists

Mimi Kim et al. J Pathol Transl Med. 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Background: The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) has standardized the reporting of thyroid cytology specimens. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the nationwide usage of TBSRTC and assess the malignancy rates in each category of TBSRTC in Korea.

Methods: Questionnaire surveys were used for data collection on the fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules at 74 institutes in 2012. The incidences and follow-up malignancy rates of each category diagnosed from January to December, 2011, in each institute were also collected and analyzed.

Results: Sixty out of 74 institutes answering the surveys reported the results of thyroid FNA in accordance with TBSRTC. The average malignancy rates for resected cases in 15 institutes were as follows: nondiagnostic, 45.6%; benign, 16.5%; atypical of undetermined significance, 68.8%; suspicious for follicular neoplasm (SFN), 30.2%; suspicious for malignancy, 97.5%; malignancy, 99.7%.

Conclusions: More than 80% of Korean institutes were using TBSRTC as of 2012. All malignancy rates other than the SFN and malignancy categories were higher than those reported by other countries. Therefore, the guidelines for treating patients with thyroid nodules in Korea should be revisited based on the malignancy rates reported in this study.

Keywords: Bethesda system; Biopsy, Fine-needle; Cytopathology; Korea; Thyroid.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

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