Importance of hormones and proteins determination in the material obtained by fine-needle aspiration

Abstract

More than a half century of experience with aspiration punch of nodal changes in the thyroid gland has confirmed this procedure as a golden standard in the examination of thyroid nodal disease. Although sensitivity, specificity, reliability and reproducibility are incontestably high, this procedure cannot give a simple answer on whether the change examined is benign or malignant. Numerous attempts to improve the procedure resulted in considerably advanced findings. Besides refining the cytopathologic examination techniques, confirmation or determination of hormones, proteins and other substances in the material obtained by fine-needle aspiration are actually the greatest contribution to improvement the of procedure's diagnostic value. These markers are actually followed, in most medical centers, in aspirates of thyroid nodal changes but also surrounding lymph nodes in order to evaluate with greater certainty the type, volume and spread; this is important to establish treatment procedures and to evaluate the residual disease after accomplishing the treatment.