Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2000 Apr;43(4):426-429.

The Value of Routine Frozen Section Examination for Intraoperative Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodule

• Lee HS
• Tae K
• Lee EJ
• Lee SH
• Jang SJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The value of routine frozen section examination for intraoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer and determination of the extent of thyroidectomy is controversial and needs to be evaluated on an institution to institution basis. METHODS: Thyroidectomy with routine frozen section examination was carried out in 109 patients with nodular thyroid disease, who also underwent FNAB. And these patients were retrospectively studied. A direct comparison of the result of FNAB and frozen section examination with permanent pathologic finding was done. RESULT: The pathologic findings showed carcinoma in 32 patients, adenomatous hyperplasia in 57 patients, adenoma in 19 patients and a Hrthle cell adenoma in one patient. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 86%, 100%, and 97%, respectively, for frozen section examination, and 76%, 100% and 93%, respectively, for FNAR (p> 0.05).
CONCLUSION
For patients who have undergone adequate FNAB, frozen section examination rarely affected the intraoperative decision making in thyroid surgery and its routine use proved neither cost effective nor time saving.

Keyword

Thyroid nodule; FNAB; Frozen section

MeSH Terms

Adenoma
Decision Making
Diagnosis*
Frozen Sections*
Humans
Hyperplasia
Retrospective Studies
Sensitivity and Specificity
Thyroid Diseases
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroid Nodule*
Thyroidectomy