Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most commonly seen endocrinological tumour. During the follow up of DTC, serum thyroglobulin (TG) levels, neck ultrasound, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the suspicious lymph nodes are important tools. TG washout of the suspicious lymph node as well as the FNAB can detect metastasis and recurrences earlier. In this study we aimed to show the diagnostic role of TG washout of suspicious lymph node FNAB which is not routinely done.

Methods: Totally 80 DTC patients that had suspicious lymph nodes during the follow up after thyroidectomy and radioactive ablation were retrospectively evaluated. All of patients’ FNAB and TG washouts were done. Patients that underwent an operation thereafter were also evaluated according to the pathology.

Results: Totally 80 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients, 91 lymph nodes were evaluated. 22 patients were operated, the rest of the patients that needed operation did not accepted operation. In 16 patients; FNAB was malign and TG washout were positive and all these two predicted the operation pathology which was malign. In three patients FNAB was suspicious, TG washouts were negative but operation pathology was benign, Tg washout predicted the true benign pathology in these three patients. In three patients FNAB was benign but TG washouts were positive and operation pathology was malign and TG washout predicted the pathology. TG washout predicted benign disease in three and malign disease in three patients which FNAB showed the contrary

Conclusion: Our study showed that TG washout can be used with adjunct to FNAB during the follow up of DTC patients that had already operated and received radioactive ablation especially in patients with suspicious lymph nodes on follow up neck ultrasounds. TG washout can aid in diagnosing recurrences and metastasis earlier and can increase the survey of the disease.