Modified Bethesda system informing cytopathologic adequacy improves malignancy risk stratification in nodules considered benign or atypia(follicular lesion) of undetermined significance

Abstract

We modified the nondiagnostic/unsatisfactory category of the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology to inform cytopathologic adequacy to better stratify the malignancy risk. Malignancy rates from 1,450 cytopathologic specimens not satisfying adequacy criteria from April 2011 to March 2016 were calculated based on sub-classification of the nondiagnostic/unsatisfactory category and sonographic patterns using matched surgical pathology. Rates were compared with those of 1,446 corresponding adequate specimens from July to December 2013. Upon resection, 63.2% of nondiagnostic, 36.7% of unsatisfactory + benign, 72.5% of unsatisfactory + atypia (follicular lesion) of undetermined significance, 98.1% of unsatisfactory + suspicious for malignancy, and 100.0% of unsatisfactory + malignant cases were confirmed to be malignant on surgical pathology. In nodules with inadequate specimens, those with high suspicion sonographic patterns had a malignancy rate (93.2%) higher than the others (45.5%) (p < 0.001). Nodules with unsatisfactory + benign specimens had a higher malignancy rate (36.7%) than satisfactory benign specimens (14.3%) (p = 0.020). For atypia (follicular lesion) of undetermined significance, the malignancy rate of inadequate specimens (72.5%) was higher than that of adequate specimens (51.3%) (p = 0.027). Sparse cellular samples with a few groups of benign follicular cells should not represent a benign lesion. There might be value in qualifying atypia (follicular lesion) of undetermined significance cases less than optimal.